Contributed Photo
Henry Fernandez of LEAP contributed the following:
LEAP is opening a free Saturday Code Club for all children and teens ages 11 to 15. (Kids do not have to already be in LEAP.) Young technology enthusiasts and beginners alike can join to learn more about coding, robotics, virtual reality, app design and more. Short workshops led by instructors and volunteers are followed by opportunities to further explore the topic on their own, with one-on-one help from program staff. Participants will have the opportunity to create projects based on their own interests, collaborating with peers and supported by program staff.
Each week at LEAP’s Computer Learning Center, kids and teens learn how to code through creating their own apps, building and coding robots, and even creating virtual reality experiences. They combine creativity with the fundamentals of computer science to design projects that reflect their own interests and experiences, like a personalized group chat app, a piece of wearable technology or a website where they blog about their life experiences.
LEAPers also learn about how computer science can be used in exciting ways through weekly career highlights, including Miral Kotb, who combined her passion for dance and skills in software engineering to create a performance company that uses code to illuminate the costumes dancers wear, and journalist Nonny de la Peña, who uses virtual reality to place her audience within the news stories they consume. Lessons are taught by LEAP’s full-time staff and local high school students, who LEAP employs as instructors. Instructors serve as mentors and role models for children in the program, while also pursuing their own knowledge of computer science and digital media arts.
The Saturday sessions will take place at the LEAP Building at 31 Jefferson St. from 10 am to noon. The spring session will run from Feb. 29 to May 9. Registration is required to attend, and spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for more information and to sign up today! Reach out to Hannah Lee, LEAP’s Computer Learning Center Director, at [email protected] or 203 – 773-0770 with any questions.
