Computer Science Education week began in 2009 as a collaborative effort between numerous companies and organizations. The week coincides with Grace Hopper's birthday, which is December 9, 1906. Grace Hopper, an American computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy rear admiral, invented the first compiler and coined the term "bug" (an error in a program) after removing an actual moth from a computer in 1947.
Shorewood School District offers a variety of ways for students to get involved in Computer Science. Through our Recreation Department, the following programs are offered:
- Making a Video Game: Offered in the summer. Students are instructed on how to design a playable video game and at the end of the class, they're able to take it with them on a thumb drive.
- 3D printing: Offered throughout the year. Dustin Slusser, the Project Lead the Way teacher at SIS, instructs students on how to design and print items on the District's 3D printers.
- Robotic Coding is offered throughout the year. Dustin Slusser teaches students how to program and “drive” various robots.
At SHS, Mr. Joe Oleniczak, leads the Computer Science department. "We have two different semester classes offered to all four grade levels," says Mr. Oleniczak. The school offers Computer Science Discoveries: Introduction into the World of Computer Science, where students learn about the ins and outs of a computer, how they operate, the Internet, and the ever evolving world of AI. The semester ends with a Video Games/Animations Unit, where students’ final project is to design and code a platform video game of their own. The second class SHS offers is Computer Science Principles. This semester, the students dive deeper into more complicated aspects of coding, including Binary Language, Lists, Libraries, Parameters, Functions, and Conditional Statements.
A few of the SHS students have also started a gaming club and are in the process of designing their own advanced video game.
At SIS, Ms. Claire Bernatz, teaches her students how to code and they were involved with a coding project earlier this year called, Light The Hoan, where students had an opportunity to display a light show on the Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee.