Featured Story
Learn to Code This Summer at St. Luke’s
By Summer Program Director Hunter Martin
You’ve probably heard the adage, “Your child should learn to code.” Before accepting that as truth, it’s important to stop and ask why a child should learn to code—what purpose does it serve? I sat down with Sarah Betack, a New Canaan native and co-founder of Codebug, to get some insights...
Learn more & register for Codebug at Summer at St. Luke’s (grades 5-12). See all Summer at St. Luke’s programs.
What does Codebug do?
We teach people to code. Our main goal is to expose more people to the world of coding, and show them that it’s something they can do!We keep our classes fun and work to instill in our students the same passion and love we have for coding. At Codebug, it’s not just about learning the proper syntax for coding—it’s about learning to overcome challenges, learning to problem solve, and learning to believe that you can do anything. So this summer I’ll be returning to my hometown of New Canaan, and we’ll be holding summer courses at St. Luke’s for middle and high school students.
We have a few different course options for all rising 5th - 12th graders learning Web Development and Python. (Find more information: https://www.codebug.us/st-luke-school)
Why are you so passionate about teaching coding?
Learning to code changed the way I think. I started analyzing the world in a different way – trying to see what can be better, what can be improved. But the most gratifying aspect of knowing how to code is realizing that you can make those changes yourself. When you have an idea, you can build it. And when you build your idea, it feels good. You improve the world just a little bit, and you improve yourself. This becomes a self-fulfilling cycle where you look for things that can be better and you change them. I want every student growing up today to see the world that way—to realize they can make the changes that improve the world. That’s why I love teaching people to code.
Will everyone need to code in the future?
I don’t think our society needs every child growing up today to have the skills of a professional software developer. I do think that having some basic coding knowledge can help no matter what field your child wants to enter. As I mentioned earlier, learning to code changes the way you think. Whether your child wants to start a company, be a doctor, or work in marketing, having the skills to build their ideas will instill in children the courage to see something that could be better and make it better. That’s why I believe everyone should learn a little coding, and that’s why I started Codebug.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
