October 10, 2014 · Behind The Scenes

Campaign Highlight: An Hour of Code for Every Student

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An Hour of Code
Help demystify computer science for children of all ages.

Every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. That’s what Code.org—a Seattle-based nonprofit set up to encourage computer-science education says, and they’ve launched the Hour of Code for Every Student campaign, to help make it happen.

The campaigners, led by Code.org founder and chief executive Hadi Partovi aim to raise $5 million to bring an hour of computer-science education to 100 million students around the world. The Hour of Code campaign will also support continued learning, through schools and online courses for parents and teachers, alike.

“Learning to code—especially for children—is crucial because now programming languages have become basic literacy; it’s a way to create change and instill it at a young age,” says Adriana Gascoigne, founder of Girls in Tech. “There’s also a myth that programming is hard to learn, which makes it less mentally tangible. An Hour of Code can help dispel the misconceptions, so people can actually learn computer basics, and have the opportunity to innovate.”

According to Code.org, 90% of schools don’t teach computer science, and the Hour of Code campaign aims to reshape education to reflect modern needs. Crowdfunding the project helps raise awareness, to involve the greater global community. Want to make a difference? Click here to contribute. Every dollar will be matched by major companies and supporters, like Microsoft, Bill Gates, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Salesforce.com, and many others. Perks include hats, hoodies—and the ability to make a huge impact: Contributing just $10 educates 300 students.

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