Kode2Learn club to hold interactive day for children

by Maggie Thomas, university news and communications intern

Miami University’s Kode2Learn club will host its fourth annual Kode2Learn Day from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in Benton Hall. The interactive one-day experience gives elementary school students the opportunity to have fun while learning computer science.

Some of the activities throughout the day will include board games that teach computer science concepts, puzzles and robots that students can program. Students in the Oxford area in grades 3-5 are able to participate.

Kode2Learn is a Miami student-run organization that focuses on teaching basic computer science to local elementary school students. Besides Kode2Learn Day, they also have coding clubs weekly at elementary schools in Oxford. Coding clubs meet for one hour a week and focus on teaching children programming.

The club started two years ago to promote computer science and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum. The organization focuses on teaching children how to problem solve more effectively.

Matt DePero, treasurer of the Kode2Learn club, said he enjoys watching children be excited about computer science and programming.

“When you think of programming, people think it’s not accessible, and kind of like more than they can handle. But we are showing that you can teach young children programming and be excited about it,” said DePero, who is a senior computer science major.

Interested participants can sign up online. Registration is available up until the day before the event. For more information, email Kode2Learn@miamioh.edu.