DPS Foundation and Lincoln Elementary Partner for Family Code Night

Student with family members at the Lincoln STEM Family Code Night

By: Marisa Riesinger, Elementary Library Media Specialist

Over 250 students and family members packed the gym for the first-ever Family Code Night on March 14. Lincoln K-5 families came together for pizza and partnerships during this exciting event, where parents teamed up with their children to complete their first hour of coding. Parents also received their first look at the school's Cal Ripken Sr., Foundation mobile STEM center.

During the event, families completed coding puzzles by practicing concepts such as programming, repeat loops, code efficiency, and conditionals. As they learned the big ideas of computer science, examples were given on how these skills are applicable beyond the screen. "Computer science isn't about computers at all, but rather about a specific way of thinking. Our goal is to help students build a set of skills that they can think at phenomenally high levels across all situations," stated Marisa Riesinger, Elementary Library Media Specialist.

The CS Fundamentals event has been held in thousands of schools nationwide and became the largest family engagement night for Lincoln Elementary. Family Code Night was made possible by the Foundation's annual program grant. The grant includes funding for a district Family Code Night that will include every Dickinson elementary school in the fall.