2013 August

Happy 1st Birthday CoderDojo LA!

On Saturday, June 8th, 2013 CoderDojo LA celebrated one year of coding!

And what better way to kick off the celebrations than back where it all began with our friends at Google. It’s amazing to think just 12 months ago we first began this journey and can now pack Google with young scholars eager to master the art of coding.

Thanks to Google’s state of the art facility, we were able to offer two classes on Saturday. Upon arrival, ninjas were split into two groups: first-time and experienced coders. With the help of our volunteers and guidance from their dedicated parents, the kids jumped right into coding, learning the basics of programming and working through several exercises using MIT’s Scratch program. Within just one hour of instruction and practice, our new ninjas were on their way to creating their very own computer games!

In true shipping culture, the last hour of the event was dedicated to sharing projects. As quickly and bravely as they’d jumped into learning programming skills, these little ninjas stepped up with pride and became speakers! Even our first-time coders confidently presented their first games!

Ninjas of all skill levels proved to be the real teachers, showing us the power of imagination with projects created within the brief session. Programs like an interactive digital rock band that plays real music, a racing game with multiple cars to choose from and an underwater animation featuring a battling lobster and starfish!

Our minds were blown.

Weren’t able to make it to our 1 year celebration? Don’t worry! We’re almost back in session, so stay tuned for future Dojos.

In the meantime, you don’t have to wait for our sessions to support your little coders. Encourage them to start practicing using one of the many free online coding tutorials that we’ve compiled. Be sure to sign-up for the CoderDojo LA mailing list, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook so you don’t miss any future events!

Arigato gozaimashita!

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