Paris Junior College is holding a special coding camp made possible by the Texas Workforce Commission at six locations during June, July and August. Applications must be received by the PJC Continuing Education Department on Tuesday, June 1. The college will be closed on Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day.
The free Coding Camp is for students entering the sixth, seventh, or eighth grades, or those who have completed eighth grade in the 2020-21 school year.
The camp will provide hands-on experiences to foster an interest in computer coding and programming. Campers will be presented challenging and innovative concepts in learning, problem solving and analytical skills.
Enrollment is limited and priority is given to foster youth, students with disabilities, students from low income families, and students from populations underserved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
PJC received a $49,567 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to provide curriculum to bring computer science science to life and teach real industry competency. The six camps will accept 90 students who will become familiar with the basics of Arduino, Blockly, C++ and Python coding, Cyber Security, Raspberry Pi, drone systems, robotics, mechanical and electrical engineering and programming in a team-based environment.
“The growing demand for high-skilled technical workers means Texas must continue to attract more students into STEM fields,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “Through programs like Camp Code, TWC remains committed to building a diverse workforce with the foundation in STEM necessary to keep our world class economy growing.”
Each camp will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students may be dropped off at 7:45 a.m. and picked up by 4:45 p.m. Transportation assistance is available upon request.
Camp dates and locations are:
June 21-25, 2021 at PJC – Sulphur Springs Center
June 28-July 2 at Cooper ISD
July 12-16 at Paris Junior College, Paris campus
July 19-23 at PJC – Greenville Center
July 26-30 at Clarksville ISD Youth Connection
August 2-6 at Quinlan ISD
To apply, a parent or guardian and the student must complete the application form and a parent or guardian must complete the Permission, Medical & Media Release Form. The forms are at https://www.parisjc.edu/downloads/Coding-Camp-App.pdf. Both must be returned by the deadline of June 1, 2021.
Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance; parents or guardians will be notified if their child has been selected. For questions or additional information, please contact 903-782-0447. The application may be emailed to mpotter@parisjc.edu, faxed to 903-782-0443, or dropped off at the PJC Continuing Education Department in Paris or at the PJC-Greenville or PJC-Sulphur Springs by the June 1 deadline.
The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.