Second C3 Jr. coding challenge for elementary school students kicks off today
C Spire, Mississippi Children's Museum team up to spur more interest in IT-related jobs and careers
JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- News media representatives are invited to attend the second annual statewide coding challenge today for elementary school age children – part of the C Spire Tech Movement initiative designed to encourage and inspire students to pursue an academic degree or career in IT and computer science. C Spire is partnering with the Mississippi Children's Museum, which is hosting the event in conjunction with the three-day 2019 Mississippi Science Fest.
The half-day C3 Jr. program (Sept. 19) at the MCM in northeast Jackson will feature teams of up to four students each from fourth grade classes in 15 public and private elementary schools across the state competing for bragging rights and tech-related prizes. C3 Jr. will help kick off the 2019 Mississippi Science Fest in the LeFleur Museum District set for Sept. 19-21.
Students, a teacher or sponsor from each school will use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to navigate an obstacle course and showcase their creative and technical abilities during the competition. C Spire has assigned employees with IT backgrounds and experience to help each team. Members of the top three teams will receive trophies and tech-related prizes.
The C3 Jr. coding challenge will be followed by a press briefing on Friday, Sept. 20 with leaders from the education and technology worlds to discuss the importance of encouraging and inspiring students of all ages to pursue an academic degree or career in IT and computer science.
Speakers from academia - Mississippi State University Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. David Shaw - and from the technology and early childhood education worlds – C Spire Chief Technology Officer Carla Lewis and MCM President and CEO Susan Garrard – will focus their remarks on efforts to help equip young people to be successful in the new digital economy.
Shaw, Lewis and Garrard will discuss the importance of information technology and computer science in workforce development and helping attract high-paying, quality jobs to Mississippi during a special 11 a.m. press briefing at the museum.
Other activities during the Science Fest, which is now in its fourth year and was named in 2018 as the small festival of the year by the Mississippi Tourism Association and a Top 20 event by the Southern Tourism Society, include Science After 6, Field Trip Friday, CSI Mississippi, Science Fest Day at all four LeFleur District museums and Discovery Night.
C3 Jr. is patterned after four successful C3 coding challenges for high school students C Spire has conducted in the last two years involving over 480 students and teams from 103 high schools in 73 Mississippi counties. Pepper, a four-foot tall humanoid robot from Softbank Robotics America with a tablet for a chest, also will be on hand interacting with students and other guests participating in the Science Fest.
C3 and C3 Jr. are part of the broader C Spire Tech Movement designed to help move the region forward through improvements in broadband access, workforce development and innovation. Rapid progress in development of a 21st century technology workforce is a key element of the Tech Movement.
For the full schedule of 2019 Mississippi Science Fest activities or to purchase tickets to Science Fest Day on Saturday, Sept. 21, go to www.mssciencefest.org. To learn more or get involved with the C Spire Tech Movement, go to www.cspire.com/techmvmt.
WHEN: Thursday, September 19, 2019
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT
WHERE: Mississippi Children's Museum
2145 Museum Boulevard
Jackson, MS 39202
VISUALS:
- 4TH grade students from schools across state participating in coding challenge
- Teachers, mentors and C Spire IT staff helping guide activities
- Mississippi Children's Museum staff hosting first of three days of activities, programs that are part of 2019 Science Fest
SOURCE C Spire
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