The CODE

The Code Receives $30,000 Funding from National Grid for Brooklyn High School Students

NEW YORK, N.Y.-- The Code received $30,000 in funding from National Grid this week to support software coding and college career initiatives at three New York City high schools.
National Grid’s funding promotes HTML and CSS classes offered through The High School for Service and Learning, FDNY High School and Bedford Academy, in Brooklyn, to help students learn coding fundamentals. The funding also supports A College and Career Advancement initiatives for students to start planning careers in the workforce.
The Code is a science, technology, engineering, arts, math (S.T.E.A.M.) program that serves African American, underserved and underprivileged students, throughout New York City high schools.
“While every student will not pursue careers that are S.T.E.A.M. related, every career that they pursue will involve technology in some capacity, even their potential entrepreneurial endeavors,” said David Solomon Jones, Founder of The Code. “We are grateful that National Grid has joined us in our mission to equip students with S.T.E.A.M. skills and disciplines.”
“National Grid’s support of The Code is an opportunity to empower high school students with the necessary resources to strengthen their technology skills and elevate their future employability,” said Mauri Myers-Solages, National Grid Corporate Citizenship Manager.
Jones noted the ‘digital divide’ has been made even more apparent with the onset of COVID-19. “While the pandemic has made education challenging, we cannot allow students’ education to fall behind. Our high school students are at critical mass as they approach post- secondary education and career paths. Technological knowledge and skills are a must for students in the 21st Century.”
National Grid has a long tradition of providing energy to 1.9 million customers in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Long Island and parts of Queens. The company is committed to developing the next generation of engineers and energy company workers who are well-prepared to address the long-term needs of the energy industry. Through its comprehensive STEM programs, the company’s partners with educational institutions, vocational schools and veterans’ groups to build the workforce of the future.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Senator Kevin Parker endorse and support The CODE through letters to the public and private sector.

In 2019, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Senator Kevin Parker both wrote letters to the public and private sector in support of The CODE. Eric Adams, who is a champion of coding and has invested in equipment and programs for students to learn coding, wrote letters to the public sector:

"We need schools to move beyond an Hour of Code and toward comprehensive, full-time coding programs. The Code's focus on sparking creativity and social responsibility can go a long way toward reaching that goal".

Kevin Parker, who also is a champion of coding and its benefits to students, wrote directly to schools and their principal's suggesting the utilization The CODE:

"The Code is an opportunity that we can employ to prepare our students for any opportunity that may come their way. Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerburg all used computers to gain their status and simply put, The Code is looking to inspire their next competitor".

"Five Years of Tech Diversity Reports—and Little Progress" Wired article.

While technology is an emerging field, tech companies are lagging in their hiring practices as it pertains to a diverse population at their companies. This is after 5 years of investigation in or data about diversity in tech.

https://www.wired.com/story/five-years-tech-diversity-reports-little-progress/

One of The CODE's goals is to build pipelines with our partners as it pertains to job readiness and literacy, internships, and job opportunities for our students. While there are programs that are gender specific to address diversity in tech, which we applaud because no one program or platform can tackle the issue of diversity in tech alone, The CODE is a non-gender specific. Our goal is to cater to all underserved and underprivileged students.

THERE IS MORE TO CODING THAN JUST LEARNING HOW TO CODE.
This article breaks down the key components that enhances a students' skills to deal with real world situations, such as problem solving and critical thinking:
https://qz.com/1752837/stem-and-coding-arent-enough-to-prepare-kids-for-the-future/
At The CODE, we ensure that we instill and nurture such skills in our students.

THE FASTEST GROWING JOBS IN THE U.S. ARE IN TECH OR TECH RELATED (article).

Its no secret that technology is the fastest growing job market in the U.S and worldwide:

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/emerging-jobs-2020

We will equip underserved and underprivileged students to able to compete and take advantage of the job market they will soon embark upon.