BRIDGEPORT, CT - In collaboration with Apple, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club (WBGC) is offering coding and creativity programming, helping prepare Fairfield & Bridgeport youth for careers of today and tomorrow and equipping them with critical workforce skills, including creativity, coding, problem solving, and teamwork.
“At Apple, education is in our DNA—and we know technology can open doors to new opportunities and give students the tools to pursue their dreams,” said Stacy Erb, director of Apple’s Community Education Initiative. “We’re thrilled to continue supporting the incredible work taking place at Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S. to help inspire creativity and prepare today’s young people with the skills they need to succeed in cutting-edge careers.”
Coreen Ahmad, Director of Character & Leadership Initiatives for WBGC, stated, “As part of our commitment to STEAM education, our Club youth have learned to code using Swift Playgrounds and Xcode and have had opportunities to participate in a variety of programs and special events, including a trip for our teens to learn at Apple Fifth Avenue in NYC.”
In December 2021, Apple announced it was teaming up with Boys & Girls Clubs in more than a dozen U.S cities to bring coding with Swift to tens of thousands of students across the country. Since then, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club has launched new programming for local youth, including after-school and summer learning opportunities. Participants use iPad and Apple’s coding and creativity resources to gain new skills, explore art and design, and pursue their passions.
“Our Keystone and Torch teen leadership clubs focus on how to use Apple technology to explore and build workforce skills,” Ahmad explained. “Additionally, Club youth use the technology to focus on literacy, including compound words, Word Webby Award speeches, and weather reports.”
“We held a Showcase during our annual Hand in Hand awards, which over 300 community members attended. The Showcase included a video of creative and coding work, and Apple technology in use, by Club kids. Attendees also had the opportunity to experiment with the apps and explore the work we have completed,” added Ahmad.
Wakeman Boys & Girls Club invites you to visit to see their coding in action! Please contact Coreen Ahmad at coreen@wakemanclub.org to schedule a visit.
About Wakeman Boys & Girls Club
Since 1913, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club has provided a safe place for youth and teens after school, evenings, and weekends. Focused on Academics, Health & Well Being, Character & Leadership Development, and Life & Workforce Readiness, with nationally acclaimed programming, the Club continues its mission “to guide and inspire young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible people.” The organization serves 4,000 youth annually through its Smilow-Burroughs and Madison Avenue Community Clubhouses in Bridgeport and its three locations in Fairfield: the Southport Clubhouse and McKinley and Holland Hill School-Based Sites. For more information about Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, visit www.wakemanclub.org.