Published on September 9, 2024 at 5:27 pm
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Twenty-two teens and young adults are now graduates of the city’s new Jax Code 4 Change initiative, which offers hands-on computer coding experience to harness “the potential of underrepresented tech talent” in the city.
Some of the new coders got away from their screens and keyboards on Monday to graduate at City Hall, cheered on by Mayor Donna Deegan, Council member Terrance Freeman and city Chief Information Officer Wanyonyi Kendrick.
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Jax Code 4 Change’s training gives students real-world business opportunities in software development, data analytics and artificial intelligence.
The inaugural class’ project was a city service dashboard that offers the public a real-time overview of issues, requests for service and other performance indicators.
“This program is more than just lines of code. It is a gateway to possibilities,” Deegan said Monday morning at City Hall. “It is not merely about teaching kids how to code. It is about fostering resilience, sparking curiosity and building confidence. It is about showing them that their potential is limitless, and their voices and ideas matter in the ever-evolving digital landscape.”
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And now these students are ready to work, said Freeman. According to the city, the program built on the success of the 100 Black Men of Jacksonville’s Coding in Color program funded by the city’s Kids Hope Alliance and the MyVillage Project.
“This transformative initiative has empowered these students with a skill that no one can take from them,” he said. “It is a skill that they can continue to master, a skill that adds value to any community that they choose to live in, work in and raise a family. And I hope – listen to me – that that community is Jacksonville.”
Coding in Color is open to local students ages 16 to 21 with at least a 3.0 GPA. The students work with the city’s Information Technology Department and a private company called Scratchwerk Technology with training by Microsoft.
