Northam administration launches Computer Science Education Week in Virginia

Proclaiming Dec. 3–9, 2018 as Computer Science Education Week in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam is joining First Lady Pamela Northam and administration officials to kick off a series of events designed to encourage students of all ages to get interested in computer science, and expand opportunities for computer science education in all parts of the Commonwealth.

Computer Science Education Week is a national initiative dedicated to increasing awareness of the transformative role of computing and the need to strengthen computer science education at all levels.

“As one of the fastest growing industries in Virginia, computer science is at the core of virtually all sectors of our economy,” said Northam. “My administration is determined to make sure that Virginia students have exposure to computer science courses at every grade level, and I look forward to traveling the Commonwealth this week to highlight computer science and the role it plays in related disciplines like education, technology, and space exploration.”

The theme of this year’s Virginia Computer Science Education Week launch is “Mission Possible: Cybersecurity,” in recognition of Virginia’s importance to the information security industry and to safeguarding our national security.

“This week is not just an exciting time for students, but for teachers as well,” said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. “Learning activities like coding are a great introduction into computer science for learners of all ages. Having fun and meaningful exposure to and experiences with computer science is critical for all students as they consider their future careers.”

Virginia is the first state in the nation to adopt computer science and computational thinking, to include coding, as a core subject for all students. As part of Computer Science Education Week, Governor Northam and administration officials are encouraging school districts, teachers, and students to explore coding by taking part in “hour of code” programs.

Computing is the number one source of all new wages in the United States. Virginia has the third highest concentration of technology workers of any state in the country, and ranks first for total number of computer science jobs.

Governor and First Lady Northam will participate in the following events during Computer Science Education Week. For more information on Virginia Computer Science Education Week activities, click here.