Notre Dame’s “Hour of Code” events during the week of Dec. 8-14 went without a hitch, according to school administrators. Joanne Widmaier, NDPMA's registrar and academic technology coordinator, said that students in all three divisions got a lot of coding completed during their one-hour special time periods.
Notre Dame students in junior-kindergarten through fifth grade wrote code on Friday, Dec. 12. “I love days like this,” she said. “You just never know what one hour of learning code can do for a student or where it will take them. Coding introduces them to thinking skills that are critical for the digital age.”
The entire school — from Jr.K through 12th grade — were part of the worldwide "Hour of Code," which this years was held December 8-14. Last year, the school also participated in the event.
Dominic Maniaci, a junior at Notre Dame, said the coding was really interesting. “I was able to create my own version of the game ‘Flappy Birds.’” He said he thought the exercise was very useful and “cool to see these games from a different perspective.”
NDP senior Killian Kosik said the hour he spent coding was worthwhile. “I’d never done anything like this before and I really enjoyed it.”
Even the teachers got involved.
Widmaier said a teacher told her today that she really didn’t know how to code. “But she embroidered,” Widmaier said. “So I said, you count four-over and five-down, or skip a row, for embroidering, correct? If you can do that, you can code.”
Programming and coding is basically giving directions, Widmaier added. “And without knowing how to give clear directions we end up with a wrong outcome, no matter what we are trying to accomplish. Basic knowledge of code is useful even in traditional fields, because software is changing everything, from cancer research to the thermostat in your home.”
The school’s theme this year for the Hour of Code event is “What would Mary code,” or “WWMC,” a reference to Mary’s important role in just about everything at NDPMA, including technology.
The Marist Fathers and Brothers, who sponsor the school’s Catholicity and educational-program management, "bear Mary’s name, strive to live her spirit, and minister in the Church and the world under the name of Mary," according to the Marists, or Society of Mary. The word “Marist” is derived from the name “Mary,” the mother of Jesus.
Photos of Tuesday’s ‘Hour of Code’ activities are available on Notre Dame’s Facebook page.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.