Barton Public Library to host Hour of Code event

News-Times
News-Times

By Kaitlyn Rigdon

Staff Writer

The Barton Public Library will be participating in Hour of Code this year, which is a 60-minute global movement that takes place any time during Dec. 3-9.

The Hour of Code is an online effort, organized by a Seattle-based nonprofit Code.org, that celebrates computer science, beginning with one hour coding activities.

“As a person who has gone through the field of coding, I know how important coding is to the every day life now,” said Lacey Ferrell, Barton’s technology coordinator. “Coding is in everything from your cellphone, heart monitors, your cars … coding is in everything. So there’s a field for it, a job for it out there everywhere.”

To participate in the campaign, no experience is needed and anyone ages 4 to 104 can participate, the website states. Over 100 million students have tried Hour of Code and it is in over 180 countries. Over 100,000 events are currently registered this year.

The event is in its sixth year and offers computer science games to students, including learning over 45 languages.

According to the website, the Hour of Code started out as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code,” to show that anybody can learn the basics and to broaden participation in the field of computer science.

The Hour of Code is held annually during Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 3-9) and can take place anytime during that period.

Computer Science Education Week is held annually in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who was born on Dec. 9, 1906.

For more information on Hour of Code, visit hourofcode.com/us.

“One thing that we constantly promote is that in 2020, there’s about 500,000 jobs in the coding field, but they’re looking at maybe 50,000 people graduating in that field at the same time,” Ferrell said. “That’s a ton of unoccupied jobs ready and waiting, so we want to get them started early so they can really get a handle on it.”

Barton Public Library will announce more details about Hour of Code as the event draws closer. The library is located at 200 E. Fifth St. in El Dorado.

Kaitlyn Rigdon can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].

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