The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Office of Technology and the CCPS department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) recently hosted the inaugural Starkey Can Code event to bring technology and STEM education awareness to staff at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

Last month, the boardroom at the Starkey building transformed into a coding playground and learning center for staff members. They had an opportunity to stop by for a quick break from their normal workday to try their hand in beginner, intermediate and more advanced coding activities with stations including BeeBots, Angry Birds coding through Code.org and digital escape rooms. CCPS staff members and event sponsors hosted various stations around the room.

One of the activities was a digital coding escape room, a coding version of the popular game in which a team of players are required to solve a series of puzzles within a certain amount of time to unlock the room. Teams in the boardroom worked together to crack the code.

“It was interesting to see how much goes into making these coding programs and all the things you could create from them,” Alicia Sweatt, CCPS secretary for fine and performing arts home and hospital and special programs, said. “It required some thinking, but it was a lot of fun.” Some players could see the correlation between the coding version and the in-person version of escape rooms. “I really liked the activity. It felt like an escape room but for coding,” Heather Bryant, CCPS related services agency liaison for teaching and learning, said.

The purpose of the event was to encourage adults to learn an element of computer coding and to learn more about coding in CCPS. Laura Metz, CCPS instructional technology specialist, said that another goal of the event was to share with staff members how coding has real-world applications, including skills to increase college and career readiness for CCPS students. “Starkey Can Code would be a day where everyone that worked in our administration building, including staff in finance, building services, food and nutrition, and human resources, were invited to play,” Metz said.

Representatives from Apple, Inc., and DALY Computers Inc., attended the event and provided materials such as iPads and technology freebies for staff members. Staff walked away with new HD web cameras for their desktop computers, desktop keyboards and drink tumblers. Other event sponsors included the Maryland Center for Computing Education, Codi, Ozobots, BeeBots, Java and Python.

Visit CCPS social media pages to view photos from the event.

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About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,598 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).