CS4Philly needs your help getting computer science into Philly schools

The history of Philadelphia is a story of “firsts” when it comes to technology and innovation — in nearly every realm, from the sciences, the arts, design, industry, education, and on and on, we built it and delivered it to the world.

Last December, the leaders of Philadelphia’s civic, business and education sectors gathered in the Mayor’s Reception Room in City Hall to assert that we can again become a leader in technology and innovation. And that one of the keys to this future is high-quality computer science education for all children.

CS4Philly was launched last December as a call to action for the public and private investment needed to make this vision a reality. Its mission aligns with the national Computer Science for All movement to make CS an integral part of the educational experience of all K-12 students and teachers and to support student pathways to college and career success.

The CS4Philly “Bill of Rights” proclaims that all of Philadelphia’s children and youth have the right to access the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to participate fully in the digital economy; to be creators in the digital economy, not just consumers, and to be active citizens in our technology-driven world.

So, as a hard-working tech professional in Philadelphia, what can you do to help make this a reality? To start, join us for the CS4Philly Design Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Drexel’s ExCITE Center.

In this amazing collaboration space (with food and refreshments!), you will work in teams with your tech-industry peers and educators to identify and design computer science activities for the CS Student Experience, a citywide youth event that will kick off CS4Philly Week 2018. The CS Student Experience will bring together teams of high-school students and teachers with tech mentors from across the city to learn what CS is and how it can be a pathway to a future in tech.

Proud sponsors include Comcast, Technical.ly, Code for Philly, the School District of Philadelphia and the ExCITe Center itself.

I hope you will join us Oct. 13.

Connect your passion for tech with civic engagement. You can help us achieve the mission of CS4Philly!

• What: CS4Philly Design Workshop
• Who: Tech professionals and STEM educators interested discovering and designing computer-science activities for the CS4Philly CS Student Experience in December
• When: Saturday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Where: ExCITe Center, Drexel University, 3401 Market St.

Space is limited to 40 participants.