GILBERT, AZ — A school dedicated to teaching children of all ages about computers and coding opened in Gilbert this month.
Robert and Emily Thornock noticed there was a gap for getting kids into computer science in the Valley, so they decided to take matters into their own hands.
TheCoderSchool is a nationwide franchise but had yet to make its way into Arizona. The Thornocks opened the state’s first on Feb. 12.
“I feel like my children are always in front of the screen and how can we make that actually benefit them?” Emily said. “It’s not just for computer science majors anymore. Graphic design, business analysts, engineers – so many people are using computer coding.”
From basic skills and coding language, all the way up to Java, the difficulty grows as your child does in the world of computers.
“If we think about the jobs in the workforce five, 10, 15 years in the future, we want to start now helping our children be prepared,” Robert said.
Ironically, neither Robert nor Emily come from technology backgrounds. Emily has a degree in communications, while Robert’s is in finance and business.
For Robert, the opening of the school was personal for him as a Gilbert native. He’s a 2001 graduate of Highland High School.
As the population continues to boom in Gilbert and other parts of the Valley, the family’s goal is to hopefully expand.
Robert said they are also applying for Empowerment Scholarship Account program funds from the Arizona Department of Education so homeschool parents in the future can choose theCoderSchool in Gilbert to supplement their child’s education.
Every Code Coaching lesson is customized with the help of trained “Code Coaches” who use a two-on-one approach to teaching.
They also offer a more traditional Code Class for those looking for either software-driven or static-curriculum teaching in a larger group. During summer and holiday breaks, the school also offers coding camps.
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