CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- Google experts took a stop in their Roadshow tour, Tuesday, to teach kids at Gulf Elementary in Cape Coral how to code. The session included one-on-one training with the kids and is one of the ways Google and Southwest Florida is getting kids prepared for the future.
“Creating things, it gives you a satisfaction like they said up there. It’s not just for coding, it’s doing it for a purpose," said Eric Castro, 10, a Gulf Elementary School student.
Castro says he wants to own a car engineering factory when he grows up. He was one of nearly 50 kids that were given coding lessons using Google Chromebooks. The lessons, led by two Google experts, emphasized how learning to code is skill that can be used beyond computer science.
“They’ll be able those skill apply into our biomedical programs, into our design programs, engineering program, there’s just a huge variety of opportunities," explained Dwayne Alton, Infrastructure Services Executive Director.
The experience came free of cost from Google in line with theirCS Roadshow, where they have visited nearly 40 schools across the country.
Congressman Francis Rooney released this statement to Fox 4:
“I am thankful to Google for bringing this exciting opportunity to Cape Coral. By 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts there will be 1 million more computer science jobs than graduating students who qualify for the jobs. We need more people who can help build the future, and possibly even develop the next big advancement in technology. Computer science is more than just interesting job opportunities. It is about making the world a better place. The reality is that Computer Science will be a key part of the future of not just work, but all aspects of our lives. The sooner students can begin working with technology, the better,”
The Lee County School Board says they will continue to push coding and STEM education in their schools and hope to have more experiences like this one in the future.
