Serious Computer Programming for Youth

Serious Computer Programming for Youth is free workshop: Python programming on the GNU/Linux operating system With Dr. Mark Galassi, LANL Research Scientist
This 10-hour workshop teaches young women and men (6th grade and up) to write software in Python on the GNU/Linux operating system. This is an approach that carries over to real work and science/ math/engineering internships.

FOR WHOM:
Kids from 6th grade up, but please read the notes on age on the web site: younger kids can sometimes do well in this course.

VENUE:
Santa Fe public library, downtown branch.

DATES:
Sat. Feb. 29 (10am-12:30pm and 1:15pm-5:30pm), continuing Sun. Mar. 1 (1pm- 4:45pm) 2020. (But do check the web site for upcoming courses if you cannot make these dates).

SIGN UP:
email Mark Galassi <mark@galassi.org> or call +1-505-629-0759.

NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE:
no prior experience is required, but typing practice helps!

OVERVIEW
This is a hands-on course focused on students but open to anyone. It will involve much work and a good amount of going beyond one’s comfort zone. The goal is to get started on a path that leads to serious programming, rather than using a toy “for kids” programming environment which will never be used for real work. The course will start with an unusual but important feature: each student should bring in an old computer or laptop which is not used much anymore, and we will start by installing the GNU/Linux operating system on it. If you cannot find your grandparent’s or neighbor’s old
laptop don’t worry: write us and we will have something for you.

Once each student has installed GNU/Linux on their computer we will start programming in Python and get to the point of writing hundreds of lines of python code with several intelligent algorithms to play a simple strategy game. Students who have taken this course can drop in on ongoing follow-on mini-courses on scientific computing.
( more information at https://sites.google.com/view/serious-programming/ )