Accenture is introducing kids to computer science this week through Hour of Code

It’s that time again: Consulting giant Accenture is participating in Hour of Code this week for a seventh year in a row.

Accenture has been participating in the education-focused global Hour of Code initiative since Code.org founded it in 2012. Taking place Dec. 13, the initiative also honors U.S. Navy Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, a computer scientist and pioneer of computer programming. It’s all part of the annual Computer Science Education Week, when extra coding activities take place at K-12 educational institutions around the country.

Imagination can power innovation—and knowledge is the fuel. Join us and @codeorg to help change the world: https://t.co/cKvlPCBl70 #HourOfCode pic.twitter.com/UrG6ziclXw

— Accenture (@Accenture) December 9, 2019

This year, Accenture has gathered more than 550 volunteers, including over 350 of its employees and more than 200 Baltimore and D.C. community leaders, to visit local grade schools across the region to introduce students to basic coding skills. Aimee Ertley, Accenture’s southeast media relations rep, told Technical.ly that the group of volunteers are on a trek to visit dozens of schools this week to teach an hour-long intro computer programming course.

“By enabling young people to learn to code, we’re helping our next generation believe in the power of technology and wield it to improve the way the world works and lives,” said Accenture CTO and CIO Paul Daugherty, in a statement. The company has uniquely named Daugherty “coder in chief.”

Last year, Accenture visited mover 80 schools in the DMV region. This year, the consulting giant is looking to match that number, reaching nearly 13,000 students. (Here’s a look at the work Accenture did with an Hour of Code in the Baltimore area last December.)

“In D.C., we’re going to reach 13,000+ students this week and teach them that it is better to code the app or game and own the company, than just play the video app or game,” Marty Rodgers, Accenture’s southeast senior managing director who leads the D.C. metro offices, told Technical.ly.

For D.C., Accenture is holding hour-long coding courses at McKinley Tech High School, Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, Jefferson Middle School Academy, School Without Walls High School and more. In Arlington, Virginia, you also can catch the consulting giant out at Kenmore Middle School and Arlington Science Focus Elementary School this week.

Accenture’s Social Innovators initiative focuses on highlighting the work that its staff is passionate about to create “new solutions with a positive impact on society.”

“With Hour of Code, we’re bringing our Social Innovators initiative to life by preparing young minds to use computer science and technology for improving the lives of millions — now, and for the next generation.” said Accenture Global Corporate Citizenship Managing Director Jill Huntley in a statement.

If you’re interested, it’s not too late to get involved with Hour of Code: Visit the global initiative’s site for more details.