Night of Code

By Lena Gluck

      In early December, Oyster Bay High School hosted the Night of Code and Hour of Code. Janna Ostroff, Supervisor of Science and Technology, along with teachers Mr. Harrison, Ms. DiOrio, and Mrs. Malhar-Jain, organized and supervised both events. Night of Code’s purpose is to allow students of all ages to learn about coding first hand in the hopes that they will want to learn more. 
     The coding events provide students the opportunity to partake in interactive coding activities through an online website called code.org. The site contains a variety of games, organized by age, that students can play. ​      At the events student volunteers were in charge of assisting other students with logging into the computers, selecting a coding game, and completing the levels within the game.

     At the events student volunteers were in charge of assisting other students with logging into the computers, selecting a coding game, and completing the levels within the game.
When asked about the turnout at Night of Code, Ms. DiOrio revealed, “I am thrilled with the large numbers of K-2 students who came to code!  They approach coding opportunities with an eager excitement.  Our K-2 students are learning to use code to solve problems and make things happen, which are such important skills for our young digital learners!” 
     Mr. Harrison, technology teacher for grades 3-6, also expressed his delight about the large crowd. He stated, “We had a record turnout this year for the Night of Code. It was a true testament to the work we have been doing to integrate coding into the K-12 curriculum. Students are eager and excited to learn about this important field of work, and this event gave us the opportunity to include families and the community in our quest to make sure that everyone learns to code!”
     When speaking about Hour of Code, Oyster Bay High School’s Mrs. Malhar-Jain told us that she is “super excited by the whole-hearted response of the community for the Hour-of-Code event. Such events enable our students to realize that problem solving is core for computer science. It is my hope that our students take advantage of these opportunities, which will enable them to go beyond being mere consumers of technology and instead become creators and entrepreneurs who make an impact in the community and the world.”
     When reflecting on both events, Ms. Ostroff explained, “Our goals for Night of Code are to further enhance student interest, to excite and invite parents to familiarize themselves with coding, and to share aspects of our computer science curriculum with parents.”
Ms. Ostroff emphasized that she was thrilled to have hundreds of students and their families attend Night of Code. “The large turnout revealed the growing support and interest of our families in students' coding.”
     The events were also coordinated with the assistance of student leaders who took action at both    Night of Code for grades K-6 and Hour of Code. 
Student volunteer Jason Hom said that he believes “Night of Code is a great event to let kids explore computer science and spark interest in the field.”
     Staff and students who organized Night of Code and Hour of Code want to say thank you to all of those who participated in both events and helped make them a great success. We look forward to seeing what the future will hold for Oyster Bay’s Science and Technology Department.  ​