CodeDay comes to DC to inspire student programmers

Here’s a cool opportunity to get kids coding — CodeDay is coming to D.C. this May.
CodeDay, for those unfamiliar, is a nationwide, 24-hour, hackathon-like event that aims to get high school and college students excited about coding. CodeDay distinguishes itself from a hackathon, though, because “it is not focused on winning awards or getting jobs.” Still.
Run by the Seattle-based nonprofit StudentRND, local iterations of CodeDays take place three times a year in up to 38 cities at a time, according to the website. It’s a staple in Philly, for example. The event is often hosted by local tech companies — in May the D.C.-based mobile app development company Apollo Matrix will host.
The event doesn’t require any previous experience coding, in fact a point of pride for the organizers is that around half of all attendees have no prior experience. Rather, CodeDay is designed to “generate excitement for coding in students with no existing interest.”
CodeDay DC is scheduled for May 21-22, and kids can get tickets here for just $10. Want to support the initiative? CodeDay runs on volunteer mentors and judges, which could be a cool opportunity for D.C. techies looking to spread the wealth. Volunteer info can be found here.