PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

STAFF REPORT

MIAMI –Simultaneously coding sessions will be underway for three hours on Saturday at several Miami-Dade libraries. The Miami-Dade Public Library System has teamed up with Tynker, a game-based platform that is teaching more than 60 million kids how to code, for a one-day Coding for Kids Hackathon on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

The event will occur inside the YOUmake Miami makerspaces at the West Kendall and Miami Beach Regional Libraries and the YOUmedia Miami teen tech spaces at the North Dade and South Dade Regional Libraries.

A hackathon is an open, playground-style event that allows kids to engage in a number of projects within a given time period often focused on big problems around a specific theme. In this case, the theme is Earth Day: “Saving the Planet with Code.”

Kids will learn about environmental awareness and how to care for our planet. The MDPLS hackathon will be guided by Tynker Blue Ribbon educators – Florida teachers who are highly skilled in teaching kids to code using Tynker’s platform.

“We’re pleased that our digital learning spaces are providing opportunities, such as this coding event we’re presenting with Tynker, for kids throughout Miami-Dade County to experience enhanced technology programs in a library setting,” said Library Director Ray Baker.

“More and more, leading library systems like Miami-Dade are providing access to Tynker because they understand that computer science literacy is a skill that will benefit kids both in and out of the classroom,” said Daniel Rezac, Education Community Manager for Tynker. “As one of the largest library systems in the country, MDPLS is the perfect partner to enable a large number of kids to become future ‘makers’ through these fun and collaborative events.”

Students ages 8 to 18 years can register for the hackathon by contacting the library location directly or by emailing moorem@mdpls.org. For a list of library locations and contact information, visit www.mdpls.org and click on “Find a Branch.”