The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) hosted a Code as a Second Language (CSL) Bootcamp sponsored by Verizon Foundation at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia.
CSL fellow, Henry Lopez, led the Bootcamp. CSL fellows act as leaders within the community and guide young minds through their initial journey through technology. Henry is originally from Guatemala and at the age of 4 immigrated to the U.S., and started coding at the age of 17!
“Getting to expose a group of educated students to my passion of programming was a great experience. Their energy, curiosity, and interests made me confident that the not only learned a new skill, but will apply it towards whatever they choose to study in the future,” said Henry.
Virginia’s State Delegate Alfonso Lopez’s Chief of Staff, Jason Stanford was also in attendance, along with HHF members from our DC office.
CSL is a national initiative that introduces youth to computer programming and makes technical training and careers accessible to students everywhere. The model fosters a network of Latino software engineers and Latino leaders. Within the CSL program, there are CSL Academies and Bootcamps that take place in different cities across the country.
“My parents are from Bolivia, I was able to work on HTML and CSS to start building a website and I definitely see coding in my future,” said Mary-Anne, a participant of yesterdays Bootcamp.
In 2017 alone, CSL has launched Bootcamps and Academies in Oakland, San Jose, Portland, Austin, Florida, among others! CSL Bootcamps are an opportunity where students learn a condensed introduction to computer science through a block based learning curriculum. At these technical training Bootcamps, students gain insight on what is necessary to build games and other gaming applications.
HHF is committed to providing students with resources to technology, and our vision is possible by allowing students to stay connected with year-round access to the LOFT Innovation leadership and workforce development programs including STEM Symposia, Innovation Fellowships, Youth Awards, mentoring and other work-based learning opportunities.
Learn how you can get involved with our CSL program as a student, partner or sponsor here!
