Coding, the success of STEM programs, and college success all go together, maybe not like white and rice, but pretty close, that is, according to Tech Crunch. Mark Elgart of Tech Crunch makes the case in a recent article titled “Coding Breeds Collegiality And Boosts STEM Program Success.”

Elgart writes, “As part of our ongoing Generation Beta video series focusing on critical issues in public education, we’ve focused on what exemplary STEM programs look like, whether in work or school settings. We’ve highlighted programs like CodeNow that are ensuring that less advantaged students have exposure to technology and the companies seeking skilled workers. Where these programs succeed in giving students lifetime career skills, though, has less to do with the nuances of coding and more to do with the skills students develop while working with their colleagues. When you look at how people in technology companies work, it’s rarely in isolation. In fact, employers are looking for college graduates who are leaders capable of working as part of a team and communicating effectively, according to respondents to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2015 survey. When employers were asked which attributes they look for on a candidate’s resume, the biggest group of respondents (78 percent) chose both ‘leadership’ and ‘the ability to work in a team structure.’ These are followed by ‘written communication skills’ (73 percent), ‘problem-solving skills’ (71 percent), ‘strong work ethic’ (70 percent) and “analytical/ quantitative skills” (68 percent). Educators recognize the importance of developing a broad base of skills focused on communication, problem solving and teamwork. NewSchools Venture Fund Principal Shauntel Poulson points out in the video that schools have begun emphasizing project-based learning across a wide range of subjects that helps develop these skills.”

At CodeREV Kids, we understand the importance of preparing youth for the workforce that relies more on coding every day. With our programs, students learn Computational Thinking, which encompasses a wide range of programming concepts and languages. Our lessons build upon one another and we adjust starting points to each student’s level of expertise. Thus, the entire curriculum is customized.

We are known for saying we are the most educational tech camp out there but we also keep the focus on having fun. As a result, students stay engaged while learning to blend creativity with technology.

If you’re looking for a fun, customized coding experience for your child, you can’t go wrong with

When we were young children, we were all told about the buddy system. It was a great way to make sure you understood the value of support. When it comes to coding, that is no different. IT World reports on this in a recent article titled “The importance of coding buddies and other advice for programmers.”

Phil Johnson of IT World writes, “In response to one question about the value of a computer science degree, Atwood wrote that he thinks learning-by-doing in a real world situation, like through a software apprenticeship, is a better alternative. ‘As for the education, it should include practical stuff like ‘build a real project using real source control’,’ he wrote. That also applies to more seasoned programmers trying to decide what tools or technologies to learn for the future. ‘Build stuff. In the process of building something, if you need a new tool, learn it then,’ he told one participant. ‘Don’t do a lot of speculative learning because Y (probably) AGNI.’… To AMA participant who asked how he keeps his code clean, Atwood mentioned his belief in having a coding buddy. As he explains further on his blog, he doesn’t mean a formal review process or pair programming; instead, he recommends taking some time to run your code by a peer in an informal way before committing. ‘Always have at least one other pair of eyes looking at it,’ Atwood wrote on Reddit. ‘That’s the only way. The buddy system!!’ For more good programming nuggets from Atwood, I recommend reading Atwood’s whole AMA session when you have a few minutes.”

If you want your child to be in a great environment to find coding buddies, as well as get a customized coding education, there is no better option than CodeREV.

We created CodeREV Kids to fill a need in education, a need to provide a true, comprehensive technology education in a fun, stress-free environment. CodeREV Kids’ STEM focused courses and tech camps provide the basis for a much deeper education in technology than what students receive at their schools. Our instructors are all both industry tested STEM and coding professionals. They have a wealth of teaching experience to pass on to kids in STEM, Technology, and Coding in various formats.

We provide tech/coding classes and camps that are all project-based, which means students are applying computational thinking to each coding skill they learn, and are using the highest level processing skills as identified by the Common Core.

If you’re looking for the best coding camps and afterschool programs for your children, look no further than CodeREV Kids!

If you work in a conventional school, an afterschool or summer program, or some other educational institution, you have probably heard a good deal about the importance of pushing quality STEM material into the curriculum.

Mindset is everything. The more people start talking and thinking about STEM in the context of early learning, the more successful its adoption will be.

Encourage cross-discipline application of STEM skills. Teachers should talk with each other regularly about how they can create connections between their classrooms and units. This can help to create a unitary view of STEM topics and the rest of school, which fosters success and understanding.

Simply adding computers or tablets to your classrooms will not be enough to make a significant dent, teachers are needed to help instructed children in their productive use.

CodeRev Kids is a California company which specializes in teaching young people how to program and apply STEM skills through a variety of programs designed to encourage children to engage with the computer in meaningful ways. They offer afterschool, spring and summer camps at their Santa Monica location. Their afterschool programs challenge and captivate students through the application of a personal assessment which allows the CodeRev staff to develop an individualized program for each child. The professionals at CodeRev are also available to coordinate and advise educators around the country when it comes to developing fun and engaging programs to develop computer skills early in life. This can be instrumental in opening doors for students later in life.

CodeRev also offers customizable In-School and After-School programs for schools to implement in their own classrooms and computer labs. They offer curricula in both turn-key and ‘use as needed’ subscription formats for teachers at schools to use in whatever manner is required. In addition, CodeRev can send trained professionals to school throughout California to lead these programs if needed. So really, they are a great way for any school to get ahead on STEM learning and to provide students with a science, math and technology foundation that will assuredly be essential later in life.

Teachers and other educators which represented more than 200 national and regional organizations met in Chicago this month to brainstorm issues and possible solutions when it comes to STEM education in American classrooms. While the Obama administration has set a goal of 100,000 STEM teacher recruits by 2021, the meeting sought to understand how larger goals interact with issues that teachers face every day in the classroom. A wide variety of issues were discussed varying from how to get students to learns and develop STEM skills to the structure of support and restrictions which many science and math teachers run into while trying to provide engaging education. Social issues for students were also discussed as a potential aspect of their abilities to learn in this situation.

The United States government feels that STEM education is of paramount importance for the future of the country and its economy, and that we are currently lagging behind. It may take some time for the country to get back on track when it comes to furthering STEM education in our public schools. Unfortunately, this means that many parents must look outside their children’s schools for additional training and exposure to science and math. This can be very stressful, but there are more and more great programs popping up around the country which are designed to cater to these needs.

CodeRev Kids is an amazing Santa Monica, CA organization with a remarkable track record when it comes to teaching children to love science, math and computers. They offer a variety of programs in summer and spring camps as well as afterschool programs. If you don’t live in the area, it can make a great family vacation if your children are interested in computers or other STEM topics. It can really open up their world and build on what they learn in school.

Students from Eugene Middle School in Eugene, OR put their problem solving skills to the test in the first STEMposium. They competed in races to complete projects as quickly as possible. The winner is the team that finishes the project the quickest. Wonderfully, those teams that experience failure are not met with ridicule. The staff of the Arts and Technology Academy designed the STEMposium to encourage learning from mistakes, and instilling belief in continuing to try things until something works.

Many other schools are starting to host their own STEMposiums throughout the country as education in math and the sciences has become a national concern as high school graduates are increasingly underprepared for college classes and the United States has continued to decline in the international rankings. STEMposiums are seen as a simple way to give schoolchildren extra exposure to science and math concepts, especially in the area of applying these skills to solve problems. Even the military feels strongly about doing this. However, these are often annual events, which while fun, do not necessarily provide the continued practice and encouragement that some children require to enjoy STEM learning.

Therefore, as a parent we should probably do more to make sure that our kids learn the STEM skills that we all know will be instrumental for success in the near future. If you feel that your child is not attaining these skills at a sufficient level at their school, there is more that you can do. There are many programs for children which will develop their science and math skills outside of school. Sometimes these are afterschool and weekend programs but there are also great spring and summer camps that feature a focus on STEM learning and developing problem solving skills. CodeRev Kids is a great organization which teaches children how to use the computer to create through coding using robotics, websites and video game building. It is a wonderful example of a company that aims to help children take their skills and interests as far as they can, independently from school. We need more people like them.

The population will continue to grow in the coming decades, and with that growth, the country may start to feel resource constraints. This also means that there will be a growing amount of electricity demand as this growth will increase the amount of electricity and technology in use with it. Recently, it has become clear that the grid will have to be maintained and upgraded to meet this demand.

California is already starting to do this. PGE is currently investing a large amount of money and resources in both renewable energy generation and in upgrading the grid management system. This has required the construction of new buildings, transmission wires, servers, and other associated grid components in preparation for the influx of energy generation and demand. This will form what is commonly known as a “smart grid.” Really, what that means is that more of the grid will be monitored and controlled directly by centralized computer systems controlled by knowledgeable grid engineers.  Other states need to catch on to what California is doing, and they need to do this soon, no matter the cost. Otherwise things won’t be so great. We’ll all start calling the summer “rolling blackout season”

This will be something that your children will take part in. It will be a larger problem for their generation than ours. Hopefully many of these issues will be solved by the time our children reach adulthood, but it is not out of the question for grid stability to continue to be a challenge for the US and the rest of the world throughout the coming decades. For this reason, it is wise to educate your children concerning what they can do to help. Many of these problems require high-level engineering training to be truly solved. Helping your children learn skills that can serve as the backbone for a career in energy distribution or renewable energy can give them the leg up they need in life. CodeRev Kids is a great organization in California which does just that. They teach children as young as 6 years old to love the computer, the internet, and coding through the innovative classes on fun topics like robotics, game design, web site design, and even more advanced coding topics. With a technological introduction like this, your children will be primed for the intensive problems awaiting them.

Recently, in Pittsburgh, PA, Intel hosted a large invention competition called the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which involved more than 1700 high school contestants from over 400 different schools.

Two brothers developed advanced computational software to analyze the interaction of cancer cell gene fragments with proteins. Inventions in the modern world often fall into two categories. Oftentimes, a new invention will either improve previous inventions in some way. The second type of new invention is something that is completely new. Many of both of these types of inventions end up involving applications of computer programming in one way or another. Integration of computers and programming into every part of science, technology, and day to day life is part of the forefront of innovation throughout the world. These two brothers did just that by using programming to further medical science.

While this was just one of many entrants and prize recipient projects presented at ISEF, it is indicative of the type of innovation we need in the near future. All of these teens were chosen to participate because they sought ways to perfect or innovate an old problem with new technology and know-how.

I know that you are wondering what good this does your kids. Well, if you want your children to have the opportunity to create something that may be worthy for something like ISEF, it is a good idea to start early. Instill and encourage a love of science and technology in your child outside of school. CodeRev Kids is a great Santa Monica, CA company which specializes in teaching children how to program and be creative with computer technology. Their programs for children as young as 6 years old can be a great first step in creating an enriching life in a STEM career for your child. CodeRev offers a variety of hands-on programs which cover fun areas of computers and programming, from robotics to website and video game design. They can learn great new skills than can even get them a job later in life while have a huge amount of fun. Look at those teenagers at ISEF. I bet a few of them had parents that did such things.

We know that coding is the future in terms of necessary skills to succeed in the globalized economy. However, what’s the future of coding? BBC tackles this question in a recent article titled “Coding the future: What will the future of computing look like?”

Padraig Belton of BBC writes, “The spread of computing to new platforms – down to your car and toaster – will bring new challenges in building bigger, more connected systems. Scripting languages tend to be loosely typed, allowing a single variable to contain a number, a bit of text, or other character. This makes writing small programmes easier, faster, and more fragile. Agile development has been another new trend, with frequent feedback between programmers and users – the gov.uk website is an example. But then you have the million-line behemoth programmes, with more opportunities for inconsistencies and bugs to creep in. Another trend has been an increased number of languages coming out of the corporate world, rather than universities. This permits companies to have more control over which direction the languages take. ‘Nowadays, by accident, Facebook have a million lines of PHP, and they wish they didn’t,’ says Alan Mycroft, professor of computing at Cambridge University.”

Belton also gives a glimpse into the future of Britain’s students in terms of coding. He writes, “Worldwide, the number of people working in programming is in the order of 15 million. This number is not rising fast enough, even though the number of things to be programmed is. India produces roughly 100,000 computer science graduates annually. By comparison, Britain produces roughly a tenth of that. Good news for qualified programmers, less so for tech companies facing talent shortages. ‘That’s why we work with organisations like Code Club, Young Rewired State and Raspberry Pi to inspire young people to get involved with coding and digital technology,’ says Eileen Noughton, managing director of Google UK.”

Here in Santa Monica, we’re doing our part at CodeREV. Our CodeREV Kids program offers customized coding education to students through afterschool programs and summer tech camps. All of our Tech/Coding classes and camps are project-based, meaning students are applying computational thinking to each coding skill they learn. Also, they are using the highest level processing skills as identified by the Common Core for true comprehension of the material they are learning to use and apply.

Contact us and make your child a CodeREV Kid today!