New Club at Talawanda Focuses on Technology

The Talawanda Coding Club had its first meeting on Wednesday, November 13, led by Assistant Principal Chris Rhoton, Jessica Maggard, Talawanda Gifted Coordinator, and Norm Krumpe, Miami University Computer Science Professor.

Coding Club is for students interested in learning computer programming, a process where a sequence of instructions is created to enable the computer to do something.

“Computer programing has to do with everything computers,” said Krumpe. “From making a website to making the software. Most people do not understand how everything works, so our job is to teach you how to code and fix problems on your own. And you might even get a job right out of high school.”

The outlook for jobs with computer programming is expected to grow by 12% through 2010-2020, according to bls.org (Bureau of Labor Statitics). This is good news for kids interested in taking the club, and makes the prospect of jobs in this field more attainable.

The idea for the club originated with Rhoton. “I wanted to start the club ​to see if there was enough interest to be able to offer a class in it,” he said. After the first meeting, 65 people were signed up, but only 11 showed up in the computer lab Wednesday.

“The club will be about learning the fundamentals of coding, sharing your work with others, and learning about career opportunities in the field of computer programming,” said Rhoton.

Meetings will be held in the computer lab twice a month, but may be adjusted based on interest. But the club is looking to expand if the interest increases, Rhoton said he hopes interest in the club will grow. More meetings are yet to be announced. If you would like to be part of this club contact Mr.Rhoton or a Coding Club member.