WKU News

WKU added a new type of summer camp to its lineup this year, one that teaches a popular computer programming language.

WKU’s Amy Bingham takes us to Python Coding Camp in this week’s View from the Hill.

Design, code, test, visualize, analyze. These students did it all over the course of two weeks at WKU’s Python Coding Camp.

Computer coding is like speaking another language.

“It can get kind of confusing real fast if you don’t have any kind of background.”

For this camp, the coding language is called Python.  Yes, the name is derived from the British comedy group Monty Python.

“It’s a ton more user friendly, the kids don’t have to worry about data types as much.”

Sixteen students from seventh to eleventh grades spent two weeks digging into Python at WKU’s first-ever coding camp.

“I like coding, it’s something I enjoy.”

The youngest camper is 11-year-old Sypher Appling.  He plans to develop an app to help strings players and one day hopes to open his own business.

“You know how Microsoft or Hasbro, how they’ve started businesses with apps?  That’s what I want to do.”

New Ogden College Dean David Brown shared with the students that he too was interested in computers when he was their age.

“I see a lot of faces out there that look like my face at that age. Young, enthusiastic.”

Grad student Justin Mills taught the class. He says this kind of continuing education is a must in computer science.

“It is not the type of job that you can just go to school and then you never have to learn anything else again.  You have to constantly keep up with new trends.”

“I see them going places with this.”

During the camp at the Knicely Conference Center, the students had a session on computer science careers and heard a presentation from WKU’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.