Google and youth organisation 4-H to teach coding in 22 US states
The largest youth development organisation in the US, 4-H, is to get a $1.5m grant from Google to go towards creating an educational computer science programme. The organisation plans to roll out to 22 states and expand its current remit to cover coding and teamwork, targeting children with little access to technology. The 4-H Computer Science Career Pathway will provide community educators with funding, training, curriculum and devices to teach around 100,000 young people how to use technology.
Computer Science

Google and 4-H to Establish Coding Program in 22 States

Google has offered up a $1.5 million grant to 4-H, the largest youth development organization in the country, to help establish a computer science program in 22 states.

4-H has taught environmental science and engineering concepts to nearly 6 million youth since 1902, according to the organization. Now, through the partnership with Google, the organization is expanding its programs to teach youth — particularly in areas that lack access to technology — essential technical skills like coding, as well as soft skills like teamwork and resilience.

The goal is to equip today’s learners with skills needed for careers that use computer science, since there will only be approximately 400,000 qualified job candidates for more than 1.4 million open tech jobs in 2020.

The “4-H Computer Science Career Pathway” is designed to ignite interest in computer science, with the ultimate goal of committing to CS-related careers. The partners plan to equip community educators with “funding, curriculum, training, devices and the support of Google CS experts,” according to the announcement. “As with most 4-H programs, the effort will feature teen-led, peer-to-peer mentoring.”

More than 100,000 youth in the following states will benefit from the CS program: Alabama, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Interested individuals can contact their local 4-H office to find out more information about the computer science program.