TUBA CITY, AZ — A small group of Tuba City students are getting an introduction to a career path in high demand - coding.
Trying to explain how coding works to some isn’t always easy. For the students just introduced to computer programing, explaining it to their parents was much of the same.
“They have no clue what I’m doing,” said Shyla, a junior at Grey Hills Academy.
Once she graduates, she hopes to start studying to be a computer engineer. The same goes for her classmate, Daneyah, ”It’s kind of like a puzzle for me,” she said.
Both young minds are taking a 16-week virtual coding course where they’re introduced to the meticulous method of writing the language to communicate with computers what actions to take.
Reny Mathew helped organize the class to keep students engaged in STEM when we were all virtual over the pandemic.
“They’re collecting tons of data over summer school,” said Mathew.
She says students have sought to use code for the greater good of the reservation, from things like water and soil analysis to help determine the current wait times at medical facilities.
”The headquarters for Google might be in California, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work for Google in Tuba City,” said Jen Diehl of Northern Arizona University.
Diehl looks to take the students beyond just an introduction to a skill that can lead to a lucrative career that’s in high demand.
“I actually show them a bunch of LinkedIn job descriptions, from things ranging to like, TikTok to NFL,” said Diehl
A reliable, consistent internet connection on the reservation poses a challenge for the class, but Diehl says the first step in changing inequities, is providing access even if it’s one bitesize hour at a time.
“I think STEM in general is so powerful because it’s like this opportunity to bring minds together to tackle the problems of our world today,” said Diehl
To these students, a first impression is all they needed.
“I’m really excited to see what my future holds now,” said Shyla.
