IDOE Superintendent Slated to Visit PCSC’s Girls Who Code Club Monday

IDOE Superintendent Slated to Visit PCSC’s Girls Who Code Club Monday

Girls Who Code Logo

Plymouth Community School Corporation is excited to announce Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction will be visiting Riverside Intermediate School on Monday, December 4, 2017; during the first day of her statewide On the Road to Code Tour.

Dr. McCormick will be specifically visiting our “Girls Who Code” program at 1 p.m. at Riverside. She is expected to be at the school for 45 minutes to one hour and you are welcome to attend.

The Girls Who Code club is in its 4th year at Plymouth schools and the club provides girls in grades 6-12 a chance to learn about coding from Terry Burkins, a local software developer at Fortress Grand. Burkins has more than 17 years of experience in the industry and he has been the Girls Who Code Club volunteer instructor since the club was started.

Generally, the club meets after school on Tuesdays from 3:15-4:30 p.m. However, in honor of Computer Science Education Week, the club made up of students from Riverside, Lincoln Jr. High School, and St. Michael's Catholic School will all gather at Riverside on Monday at 1 p.m.

Tara Sharp, a PCSC Math Coach and PCSC Girls Who Code Club sponsor, launched the club in 2014. She believes PCSC was the first to launch a Girls Who Code Club in the Hoosier state. “The program works to inspire, educate, and equip girls with the computing skills to pursue 21st-century opportunities. Students can learn how computers and games they use daily are designed.”

Participation of females in computer science is only 20% of high school courses, university courses, and the workforce. During the Hour of Code, females make up 50% of all participants.

The Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. This year, the week is celebrated December 4-10, but Hour of Code events can take place all year-round. The Hour of Code is a global movement and according to hourofcode.org, the event reaches tens of millions of students in 180+ countries, ages 4 to 104. There are more than 116,000 events registered for Hour of Code 2017, and 765 events are in the Hoosier state. Riverside Intermediate School is one. If time allows, Dr. Jennifer McCormick will be given a short tour of Riverside and she will be able to visit some of the classrooms that are taking part.

Jennifer McCormick's On the Road to Code Tour and PCSC Girls Who Code Students