Utah Elementary Students learn coding from InsideSales.com Do Good Foundation

By Jordan Phelps

Every Friday, six InsideSales.com employees visit Maple Ridge Elementary in the Nebo School District to work with 225 fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students and teach them coding lessons in three 45-minute sessions. This is a part of the InsideSales.com Do Good Foundation’s goal to improve computer science education in combination with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that President Obama signed into law in December 2015.

“It’s pretty cool, because coding is a skill you need to be successful in the future,” said Melissa Anderson, a fifth-grade teacher, told the Daily Herald. “It is great that these kids can learn that skill at a young age. For the kids, it’s an exciting thing. They can make things, they can make apps, and they can do it now.”

In addition to providing coding teachers, the foundation also donated 28 Google Chromebooks for the students to use and a Chromebook charging cart. The course is modeled after the Code.org 16-week curriculum and will resume again in the fall.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this pilot project, teaching children skills that they may not have the opportunity to discover in their usual school activities,” said Clemence Coleman, InsideSales.com SEO analyst. “It is fascinating to
see the children’s reactions when we invite them to apply our technical knowledge in computer programming to their day-to-day activities, such as making breakfast.”

InsideSales.com Dave Elkington has met with Utah Governor Gary Herbert about the Do Good Foundation expanding the program. They are hoping to meet with other state education leaders to share the program and make coding part of Utah schools’ curriculum. The Do Good Foundation encourages other Utah tech companies to get involved with the program if possible.