Code Ninjas Lubbock marking Computer Science Education Week with events
Code Ninjas Lubbock, a children’s educational center, is celebrating the global Computer Science Education (CSEd) Week Dec. 5-10 with a host of free activities to spread awareness and love for coding and STEM, while also raising money for UMC Children’s Hospital’s Extra Life campaign. Code Ninjas has partnered with Microsoft MakeCode to develop guided activities themed around “A Carnival of Code” for children ages 5-14.
No coding experience is required but parents must RSVP for their child at: bit.ly/csedlbk. All events will take place at Code Ninjas Lubbock, 6305 66th St., Suite 400.These free, hour-long experiences will be offered during normal Code Ninjas hours: Monday-Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1p.m. Currently enrolled Ninjas may also bring a friend for free to their normal session. A special Escape Room challenge – played within the popular game Minecraft – will also be offered.The series of events will culminate Saturday, December 10 from 4-6pm with Code Ninjas’ “Hackathon” competition. In this annual challenge, experienced coders in teams of two will compete by taking an existing video game and “hacking” it to make it their very own. This year, Code Ninjas centers in Lubbock, College Station, Austin, and Houston will unofficially represent their local universities to compete for prizes and college town bragging rights. Winning games will be entered into the global Code Ninjas Hackathon for a grand prize including a 3D printer for each teammate.Participants, ages 8-14, may enter as a team or individually where they will be assigned a teammate. There is no entry fee for the Hackathon, but participants are asked to raise at least $50 for the UMC Children’s Hospital/Extra Life fundraiser. More information on the Hackathon can be found at: www.codelubbock.com/csedweek.After the Hackathon, the fun will continue with a “Parent’s Night Out” event from 6-9pm benefiting Extra Life. AllHackathon participants may attend for free, other children (5-14) may attend for $35. This holiday-themed pajama party will include pizza, snacks, prizes, and video games.“We are thrilled to bring the community together to ignite a love of computer science in local children,” Amy Slaughter, owner of Code Ninjas Lubbock, said. “Whether it’s a new coder creating an amazing first game in one of our free Hour of Code sessions, or one of our seasoned Ninjas competing in the Hackathon, we will have something fun for everyone.”This is the second year that Code Ninjas Lubbock has participated in the Extra Life fundraiser benefiting kids at UMCChildren’s Hospital. Last year, the center raised over $2,500 which helped to purchase a new pediatric ambulance for the hospital.“We are thrilled to have the support of our many community partners like Code Ninjas Lubbock. Last year the localcommunity raised over $15,000 to support local kids at UMC Children’s Hospital”, said Brittany Campbell, Development Officer for the UMC Foundation. “Extra Life takes an undervalued passion that countless people share and uses it to make a difference for so many kids.”For more information or to register for any of Code Ninjas’ CSEd Week activities, visit: www.codelubbock.com/csedweek
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Code Ninjas Lubbock marking Computer Science Education Week with events
