Jennifer Reaves, the technology integration specialist at Mylan Park Elementary School, loves gridding it out for the newbies — or those who are otherwise intimidated by anything in the digital realm.
“No, you didn’t break your laptop,” she’ll say.
Also, “Yes, you will learn computer coding, even if you are a kid, because you’re smart. You’ll especially learn computer coding because you are a kid, in fact.”
And, “No, you didn’t break your laptop” … (again).
Demystifying the technology is in her job description. It also ties in with some high-tech accolades netted by the West Virginia Department of Education last week.
Code.org, a Seattle organization that fosters and celebrates computer education for young people, recently placed West Virginia in its Top 10 list of school districts across the nation offering computer science classes as a literal matter of course.
Such courses are taught in 78% of Mountain State high schools, the organization said, and more than 34% of those enrolled are female.
Computer science can program a lot of career paths, State Schools Superintendent David Roach said.
“Not only does it develop potential engineers, scientists and inventors that can grow our economy,” he said of the instruction, “it also allows students to use higher levels of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
Many of Monongalia County’s students get their computer foundation in Reaves’ classroom at Mylan Park.
In 2018, the Milken Family Foundation, which recognizes innovations in teaching from its headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif., presented Reaves with its Educator Award.
Anne Lupo, her principal at Mylan Park, said no one had to reboot when that news came down.
“We weren’t surprised,” she said. “Jennifer’s the best at what she does.”
What she has done in recent years at her school is to build a curriculum, Lupo said.
“We now offer computer science education for all our kids,” the principal said, “kindergarten through 5th grade.”
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