Hoover High School student Josecruz Morales sits at a computer desk. He is one of 80 students to participate in the “Hour of Code” program. | Photo By KPBS
By Matthew Bowler
Hoover High School student Josecruz Morales knows the importance of computer science.
After learning computer coding, Morales said a whole new world opened up to him.
“I can understand a lot more about what I’m looking at on the Internet,” Morales said. “I personally can see how pages were made and it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s something cool that somebody did. I didn’t know you could do that.’”
Morales is one of more than 80 students at the City Heights high school who participated in the “Hour of Code,” an hour where students learn computer code. The nationwide program was created to honor Computer Science Education Week.
Nonprofit Junior Achievement of San Diego and New York company, The Control Group, partnered with Hoover High to teach the program.
“They are understanding how to write computer programs hands-on in the classroom,” said Jacqui Pernicano of Junior Achievement.
Sean Shahrokhi of The Control Group said the program’s success is derived from the diversity of the students.
“You bring in people with communication backgrounds, philosophy backgrounds, things like that — they’re the ones that really cultivate,” Shahrokhi said.
Shahrokhi said he often hires young programmers like those at Hoover High.