Lake Forest Country Day School to Participate in “Hour of Code” Event in Conjunction with Computer Science Education Week

Commerce, communication, entertainment, and education all rely heavily on computers—yet, very few people know how computers actually work. Computer science is an increasingly important foundation for success, and students and adults alike can benefit from learning the basics. Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS) plans to do their part to generate interest in the field by taking part in the Hour of Code, a special one-hour computer science coding event held during Computer Science Education Week on December 9—15.

Computer Science Week celebrates the birthday of Admiral Grace Hopper, a founder of modern computer science—but more importantly, it raises awareness of the computer science field. According to the Computer Science Week website (csedweek.org), software jobs outnumber students 3-to-1, which translates to a gap of one million jobs over the next ten years. In addition, 90% of K-12 schools in the United States do not teach computer science and yet, in many other countries (including China, the United Kingdom, and Australia), computer science is—or soon will be—a required class.

The Hour of Code event seeks to demystify the world of coding and show students of all ages that anyone can learn the basics to be a maker, a creator, and an innovator. The goal of the worldwide campaign is to introduce 10 million students (and adults) to computer science through a one-hour activity. At LFCDS, students will be taking part in the Hour of Code during their science classes through a variety of coding tutorials and activities.

“When children learn to code, not only are they learning a new language of communication, but they are also learning problem-solving skills, persistence, logical thinking, and how to take a large concept and break it down into smaller parts,” says LFCDS senior kindergarten teacher Shira Schwartz, who is spearheading the Hour of Code effort at the School along with Upper School science teacher Patty Crofts, and Lower School science teacher Anna Schneider. “There’s also a correlation between coding and our new Singapore Math program, which is really neat to see.” LFCDS Upper School science teachers Mark Arthur and Lee Johnson have also lent their support for the event, as has LFCDS science teacher on leave Dave Thesenga.

“The acceleration of technology and the shrinking nature of the globe means that we need to consistently prepare students for a future that involves some sort of computing,” says Bob Whelan, LFCDS Head of School. “Our school is committed to creating opportunities for students to actively engage with yet another foundational world language—the language of code.”

Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS) is a regional center of excellence for early childhood, elementary, and middle school education for students age 2 through Grade 8. The School serves the Lake Forest community as well as over 30 additional communities throughout Chicago’s North Shore and beyond, and is committed to building students of strong character with a passion for learning. For more information on Lake Forest County Day School, please visit www.lfcds.org or call (847) 615-6151.