Started in South Carolina, Growth of CS First Explodes
June 10, 2015
Google’s Computer Science program reaches 50,000+ students
CHARLESTON, SC – Google has hit another computer science milestone in an education effort that started in South Carolina’s Lowcountry and quickly spread around the globe. In late May, the number of students who have used Google’s CS First curriculum surpassed the 50,000 mark.
Since it started as a pilot program in 2013, schools and organizations across the country have created more than 3,300 unique clubs led by more than 3,100 community volunteers and teachers.
“This was our first year of scaling and our big, internal, ‘secret’ goal was 25,000 kids.” said JamieSue Goodman, a Manning, S.C. native who leads the CS First Project. “Reaching the 50k mark is amazing and really is a credit to the teachers and gurus who are taking the materials and using them around our state, the nation and the world.”
Google’s teaching fellows and program managers developed a computer science curriculum that uses video games, music, dancing and fashion to introduce students to basics of coding and interfacing with a computer on a programming level. Thanks to the teachers and administrators who implemented the tools in schools across the Lowcountry, CS First quickly took on a life of it’s own.
Watch a video celebrating the success
About Google CS First
CS First is a free program that increases student access and exposure to computer science (CS) education through after-school, in-school, and summer programs. All clubs are run by teachers and/or community volunteers. For more information on CS First, please visit http://www.cs-first.com/.
