Pueblo D60 Hour of Code 'puts Pueblo on the map' with Google partnership

James Bartolo, Pueblo Chieftain
·2 min read

Pueblo appears to be a destination for several Google employees — 14 Googlers visited the Colorado State University Pueblo campus to meet roughly 400 local high school students on Monday.

Visits were part of Pueblo School District 60's annual International Hour of Code celebration during Computer Science education week. Googlers led workshops in cybersecurity and data analytics. They also joined forces with CSU Pueblo computer science students for a panel discussion.

Christian Michael, a Google Cloud Lead and Pueblo South High School alum, told the Chieftain that the Hour of Code event in Pueblo was "definitely the largest" Colorado event in terms of Google employee presence.

"Googlers every year ask me when the event is going to be, because they want to be a part of it ... I feel like this event puts Pueblo on the map," Michael said.

Google Cloud Lead Christian Michael speaks to Pueblo D60 students during the International Hour of Code event at Colorado State University Pueblo on December 4, 2023.
Google Cloud Lead Christian Michael speaks to Pueblo D60 students during the International Hour of Code event at Colorado State University Pueblo on December 4, 2023.

Through outreach events like the International Hour of Code celebration in Pueblo help young students get excited about computer science and maybe even get the chance to work at Google a few years down the road.

"I can't wait to hear those stories where a student came to one of these events and, eight years from now, is sitting and working on my team or is a part of Google," he said. "That's what excites me and that's what excites Google — engagement early in the talent pipeline."

Enthusiasm for computer science was certainly present among the Centennial, Central, East, South and Dutch Clark Digital Online at Paragon students on Monday.

Gabrielle Powell, a sophomore at South, was among the many students in attendance. She learned the programming language JavaScript as a freshman through a course at Pueblo Community College and has future plans to learn Python, another programming language.

Centennial seniors Evan Woodka-Kelly and Aaron Knabe deciphered coded messages with ease during a Googler-led breakout session on cybersecurity. For most of their time in high school, the two have been members of CyberDogs — a competitive cybersecurity team.

Centennial High School student Tristan Smith with Google Software Engineer Lukas Gnirke on December 4, 2023.
Centennial High School student Tristan Smith with Google Software Engineer Lukas Gnirke on December 4, 2023.

Both Woodka-Kelly and Knabe also have been accepted into South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, where they will study computer science next fall.

Pueblo D60 has celebrated the International Hour of Code for the past nine years. For the past three years, the district has partnered with Google.

"This year, we've been able to grow it and partner with (CSU Pueblo) to have this event," said Paula Herraez, 21st century skills coach at Pueblo D60. "We just have to keep expanding it... providing more opportunities and really involving as many students as possible."

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Google employees visit Pueblo students for largest event in Colorado