In January 2021, 5C and UNF COEHS partnership to address underserved students to gain STEM knowledge and skills began after-school virtual computer coding class at Sanctuary on the 8th Street (To learn more, please visit https://sanctuaryon8th.org/). This virtual computer coding class is an 8-week pilot program to gain insight and test how to deliver quality computer coding courses to remote and rural areas where broadband Internet access is in place at local schools. Still, quality instructors aren’t available that prevents students from gaining computer coding knowledge and skills.  A qualified instructor is the biggest obstacle in the rural and underserved population besides having broadband Internet access.

5C believes the goal of reaching rural and underserved population is achieved by a comprehensive system that includes the following objectives:

Develop an online badge system to ensure the local teachers meet the knowledge level to teach the appropriate classes.  Teachers can continue the badge system to move up the skill level over time, so a higher-level coding teaching skill is reachable.
5C will provide compensation to teachers who have completed the badge system and willing to teach after-school classes. The incentive will help teachers earn extra income while supporting their local underserved students to gain 21st-century workforce skills that will eventually lift them out of poverty.
5C and UNF will establish teacher online support system that will provide continuous knowledge and skill improvement for teachers who have completed the badges under UNF professional development courses.  This support system is essential to the teachers who care about their students meeting the 21st workforce skills.
A well-structured K to 12 after-school curriculum makes teaching computer coding easy for the teachers who had completed the UNF badge system.

The pilot virtual coding class’s successful outcome at Sanctuary on the 8th Street will provide the framework and model to address the underserved population to gain equal footing as the fortunate population in this country.  This framework also helps to scale up quickly as we train more teachers in underserved schools.

Anyone interested in supporting 5C Academy’s mission, please visit https://5cacademy.org/donate/.