The next wave of computer whiz kids could come from the city’s after-school programs, thanks to a partnership with tech-giant Google, the Daily News has learned.
More than 100,000 kids will soon have access to Google’s CS First, a program that teaches youngsters how to code, as part of the city’s continuing push to get kids involved in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math — also known as STEM.
“Connecting youth to opportunities that will expose them to hands-on learning and increase their awareness of careers in the technology field is crucial,” said Meryl Jones, assistant commissioner at the Department of Youth and Community Development. “Initiatives such as this cultivate curiosity and encourage our youth to inquire, create and explore.”
CS First, targeted to kids between 9 and 14, allows them to create their own stories, games and animations while learning about computer science. It has been used in about 30 states.
City officials said CS First will be offered to all kids enrolled in 857 after-school programs across the five boroughs starting in September.
A pilot version of the project kicked off in December, with roughly 1,200 kids already using Google’s computer teaching tool to learn how to code.
Google officials said teaching kids about tech is part of the company’s core mission.
“At Google, we aim to inspire young people around the world not to just use technology but to create it,” said William Floyd, head of external affairs at Google New York.
Floyd said Google’s computer-based CS First teaching materials are so easy to use that the lessons can be taught by people without a computer-science background.
The high-tech teaching tool has been a success at the Girls Inc. after-school program in Brooklyn, where middle school girls are creating animated comics with their coding skills.
“A lot of girls have no idea that most careers today involve technology and it’s good for them to know that they can learn to do this themselves,” said Dre Thomas, a program specialist with Girls Inc. “Even if they want to go into fashion or art, technology is part of it.”
The partnership between Google and the city is part of a larger Tech Talent Pipeline initiative by the de Blasio administration to boost technology education, training and job opportunities.
Mayor de Blasio created the $10 million Pipeline in May to connect the schools, city services, the mainstream business world and the city’s booming tech business.
The tech sector is among the highest-paying and fastest-growing industries in the city, representing 291,000 jobs and $30 billion in wages each year.
