Microsoft employees turn out in thousands to teach Hour of Code

[Guest Brad Smith]

Today marks the start of Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code, a movement led by Code.org to introduce millions of young people to the creativity of computer science.

 

Microsoft has been a strong supporter of the Hour of Code from its start three years ago. We’re excited to see how the campaign has grown to mobilize a global community of teachers and volunteers who this year will lead coding tutorials in classrooms and community centers around the world. We’re inspired by each one of them and their dedication based on the belief that access to computer science will open up important new opportunities for youth now and in the future.

 

Microsoft employees are more engaged than ever in this year’s Hour of Code. Their involvement began with a number of our lead developers who worked alongside Code.org engineers to create a fun, immersive “Minecraft” Hour of Code tutorial. Since its launch just three weeks ago, 2.4 million people have already kicked off their first Hour of Code with “Minecraft.”

 

This momentum continues this week with thousands of Microsoft employees who are volunteering in a wide variety of ways to bring the Hour of Code to 250,000 young people at Microsoft hosted events in more than 50 countries.

 

This energy starts at the top with our CEO, Satya Nadella, who will teach coding to fourth grade students in a Seattle public elementary school. It carries forward with many more employees leading thousands of workshops in their communities around the world, either in person at Microsoft stores, Innovation Centers or offices or via Skype in the Classroom. And we’re extending our reach beyond our employees to partner with hundreds of nonprofit organizations, including City Year and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in the U.S., to deliver coding workshops through a number of after-school programs.

 

As you can see, we’re excited to help kids create with code, and we’re very proud to partner with Code.org to do so. Please join us!

 

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