HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—Connecticut students are being invited to get hands-on experience with coding and computer science by participating in the 2021 Lt. Governor's Computing Challenge.
The second annual computing challenge is focused on "Coding for Good" in which students in grades 3-12 can submit ideas for applications that tackle important community issues.
With the launch of the challenge last year, students were invited to submit ideas that dealt with solving COVID-19 pandemic-related issues. This year's focus is on a broader scope.
"We want young people to come forward with ways to solve problems in their own community," Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said.
This year's challenge comes with several changes in an effort to expand the program both in time for submission and in outreach.
In order to reach more students across the state, the challenge is partnering with local community groups such as local Girl Scouts' chapters, Girls Who Code Clubs, and Million Women Mentors, Bysiewicz said.
According to Bysiewicz, there were 372 entries last year with around 500 students participating. This year, the hope is to increase that number by partnering with community groups, she said.
The challenge is also being supported by STEM-related businesses including Google, AT&T Connecticut and Infosys Foundation USA.
"Corporate partners are key because places like Infosys and AT&T are looking at our workforce pipeline and they want to make sure our young people have computing skills and have STEM education because then they will be able to apply for high-wage, high-skill jobs at those companies and elsewhere in Connecticut," Bysiewicz said.
The effort to get students interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields is particularly important for young women, Bysiewicz said, due to a great disparity of women participating in those fields.
The state can help close the gender and pay gaps in those fields by inspiring young women to pursue STEM education and careers through the challenge, Bysiewicz said.
Unlike last year when students only had about one month to submit their ideas, this year's challenge has been expanded to allow about three months of time for students to come up with and submit their ideas.
The deadline for this year's challenge is April 30, 2021.
More information is available on the Lt. Governor's Computing Challenge website.