WILKES-BARRE CONNECT, CODELICIOUS, PENN STATE WILKES-BARRE, AND THE INSTITUTE CONTRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR ALL MOVEMENT, CSFORALL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCES 163 NEW EDUCATION EFFORTS

With 126 Organizations Nationwide, Wilkes-Barre Connect, Codelicious, Penn State WilkesBarre, and The Institute Make New Commitment to Expand Computer Science Education in Northeastern

Pennsylvania.

Wilkes-Barre, PA: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 — The CSforALL movement, to bring computer science to all US students, marked a major growth milestone today, along with 126 organizations, Wilkes-Barre Connect has made a new commitment to advance computer science in education access and opportunity for youth across the United States at the 2020 CSforALL Commitments Showcase.

“Our team here at Wilkes-Barre Connect has been working diligently on our Coding the Coal Region pilot program through our NEPA Works Project. Coding the Coal Region is a 12-month pilot program designed to increase the computer programming skills in Northeast PA. To do this, we are offering free, instructor-led, online courses, outside the classroom, providing Luzerne County students in grades 6-12 the opportunity to build basic computer programming foundations while also offering pathways in Graphic Design and Web, Game, and App Development. In the months planning this program, we have brought on several partners that not only bring their expertise and vast resources to our program, but also add to the incredible community effort involved in bringing Coding the Coal Region to our area. NEPA Works’ Coding the Coal Region project, in partnership with Codelicious, the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, and Penn State Wilkes-Barre, is proud to announce our commitment to providing 1,000 6th-12th grade students in Northeastern Pennsylvania with access to curriculum and training through a customized CS pathway to meet the workforce needs of the computer programming industry in Northeastern PA by Fall 2021” said Shanie Mohamed, Economic Development Specialist for Wilkes-Barre Connect.

“Codelicious is excited and proud to support Wilkes-Barre Connect and their partners in the Coding the Coal Region pilot program. We believe that computer science education is a foundational skill for all students. We are honored to be supporting the educators in this pilot program by providing them with computer science curriculum that is comprehensive, flexible, and teacher friendly.” says Chrisitine McDonnell, Codelicious CEO.

“Penn State Wilkes-Barre is proud to partner with the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce in delivering this new coding program free of charge to students. By working with young people in our community, we are actively contributing to the future of advanced computer coding and the workforce in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Dale Jones, Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

“The Institute is pleased to be part of this incredible education initiative through the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber’s Wilkes-Barre Connect initiative. Focus on education and elevating the skills of the youth in Luzerne County is an excellent workforce development strategy that will provide a significant return on investment as these young people will likely pursue technology careers in NEPA,” said Teri Ooms, Executive Director of The Institute.

#CSforALL commitments are new, specific, and measurable actions aimed at advancing the goal of rigorous and inclusive computer science education for all U.S. youth, and are designed to grow support and momentum for a sustainable K-12 computer science education system in and out of school. Notably 29 organizations listed below have made a #CSforALL commitment annually since 2017. To continue the trend, in 2020, 78 organizations have returned to make a commitment at least twice. The commitments detailed below include investments in 34 individual states, three commitments with a nationwide focus, and five commitments with an international focus

“The collective impact and systems level change that the CS education community is making through #CSforALL commitments are pushing us all forward toward the goal of rigorous, inclusive and sustainable CS for all youth,” Ruthe Farmer, Chief Evangelist, CSforALL.

As the U.S. continues to grapple with COVID-19 and racial injustice in a year full of obstacles and surprises, the need to bring rigorous and equitable computer science education to prepare ALL students for a successful future is more urgent than ever. Fortunately, the systems in place to expand that critical access is getting a significant boost today through 163 new commitments from 126 organizations to advance computer science in education access and opportunity for youth across the United States and beyond.

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About Codelicious: Codelicious licenses full-year computer science curriculum for K-12. The grade level differentiated curriculum is tailored to the unique requirements of each school district including instructional cadence and standards alignment. Curriculum includes all instructional resources teachers need to feel confident teaching computer science. With courses in programming, engineering, and graphic design, Codelicious curriculum supports educators as they engage every student in their classroom to help them develop the skills necessary for college and career readiness. For more information: Codelicious.com. Twitter: @codeliciousHQ

Media Contact: Sena Hineline shineline@ellipsiseducation.com

About Wilkes-Barre Connect: The Wilkes-Barre Connect program helps businesses grow in NEPA. Powered by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry, Connect features partnerships among the Small Business Development Center at Wilkes University, the Diamond City Partnership, the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development at Wilkes University, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Family Business Alliance at Wilkes University, and the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Wilkes University. Wilkes-Barre Connect is housed in Wilkes-Barre’s T.H.I.N.K Center, a space made possible by the Invent Penn State initiative. For more information about the Wilkes-Barre Connect Program please visit wilkesbarreconnect.org.

Media Contact: Shanie Mohamed Shanie.Mohamed@wilkes-barre.org

About CSforALL: CSforALL is the national hub of the computer science for all movement with a mission to make high-quality computer science an integral part of K-12 education in the United States. Our three-pillar approach; Support Local Change, Increase Rigor and Equity, and Grow the Movement, directs our work across a national and local spectrum to provide equitable and accessible K-12 computer science education to every student. We engage with diverse stakeholders leading computer science initiatives across the nation to support and facilitate implementation of rigorous, inclusive and sustainable computer science. For more information: www.csforall.org Twitter: @CSforALL

National Media Contact: Nadia Tronick nadia@csforall.org 303.815.9433

Codelicious curriculum professional development was recognized as a CSTA quality PD opportunity!

Every quarter, the Computer Science Teachers Association curates quality professional learning opportunities for K-12 computer science teachers. The list is based on a robust rubric of requirements, including active learning, differentiation, and efficacy. CSTA also includes information about the curriculum associated with each PD.

We are thrilled to be included, especially as we continue to support computer science educators across the nation!

Explore the entire list of CSTA quality PD opportunities here.

About Us

Codelicious provides a holistic approach to integrating computer science into the classroom, fully complies with computer science education standards, and delivers measurable student outcomes. Through Codelicious’ full-year computer science curriculum, educators provide students of all learning styles opportunities to master critical thinking and problem solving skills, while enabling college and career readiness. Codelicious computer science curriculum is licensed to K-HS schools and districts nationwide.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Computer science curriculum startup Codelicious announced a close to its $940,000 financing round, oversubscribing the $500,000 goal. Investors included Collina Ventures, GRE Capital and Elevate Ventures, among others.

Across the state, computer science positions are in high demand and the need to educate students earlier in this field continues to rise. However, elementary and middle school teachers often cite challenges related to a lack of skills, a lack of resources (lesson plans) and a lack of professional development. Codelicious helps alleviate all three of these pain points, providing instant access to computer science curriculums for grades 3-8 that educators can teach in the classroom.

The platform enables instructors to build their coding skills while building skills in their students. Utilizing a patent-pending technology, Codelicious’ full-semester, interactive, comprehensive skills-building curriculum ensures that teachers are always connected with the most current technology. Through their model, Codelicious strives to build confidence in educators and students in the classroom.

“At Codelicious, we are creating access and removing barriers to teaching and learning computer science,” said Christine McDonnell, Codelicious CEO. “We believe in the importance of building foundational skills early to prepare the workforce of tomorrow. This belief drives our focus to develop courses that any educator can confidently teach, regardless of their computer science background and that engage students of all learning styles.”

Codelicious has been building its curriculum since 2016, driven by a desire to provide elementary and middle school students with a foundational skills building, interactive and collaborative experience. In January 2017, Codelicious began to offer computer science curriculum through a SaaS subscription model, calling it Curriculum as a Service. Codelicious landed their first school district in spring 2017, and has been adding private, charter and public schools ever since.

A growing number of states, including Indiana, are advancing initiatives to integrate computer science into the classroom. Codelicious’ mission aligns with one of Governor Holcomb’s priorities, which requires all schools to offer at least one computer science course by 2021.

“Under Governor Holcomb’s leadership, Indiana is committed to equipping its workforce with the skills needed to fill jobs in high-wage, high-demand sectors like technology,” said Elaine Bedel, president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). “Startup companies like Codelicious play a critical role in these efforts, helping Hoosier educators integrate computer science training in the classroom. As a graduate of the first gBETA Indy program, we are excited to see Codelicious leveraging Indiana’s entrepreneurial network to fuel its development and reinvest in our growing, high-tech ecosystem.”

Codelicious was also one of five Indiana-based startups to participate in gBETA Indy, a free, seven-week accelerator program co-hosted by gener8tor and the IEDC. In strategic partnership with the IEDC, Elevate Ventures invests in early-stage companies like Codelicious through the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, which promotes economic growth and innovation-driven public-private partnerships in Indiana.

“Codelicious has a rare opportunity. The startup is poised to impact not only the state’s current entrepreneurial ecosystem, but also its future one. Through the platform, students are better poised to fill high-demand tech positions and perhaps build their own future startups here in Indiana,” said Chris LaMothe, Elevate Ventures CEO. “Our decision to invest in Codelicious’ long-term goals is validated by the state’s and Governor Holcomb’s priorities to focus on the growth of our talent.”

Codelicious will use the funding raise to accelerate growth through scaling sales and marketing efforts, building out intellectual property and adding critical personnel that will drive scalable growth.

Currently, Codelicious has 10 paying clients with additional clients in the pipeline. 

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Media Contacts

Alisha Estabrook, Elevate Ventures, 317-975-1917, aestabrook@elevateventures.com

Allyson Johnson, BLASTmedia, 317-806-1900, allyson@blastmedia.com 

About Codelicious

Codelicious builds confidence in educators and students in the classroom by providing instant access to computer science curriculum for grades 3-8 that any educator can teach. Utilizing a patent pending technology, Codelicious’ full-semester, interactive, comprehensive skills-building curriculum ensures that teachers are always connected with the most current technology.  Since launching their curriculum-as-a-service model in January of 2017, Codelicious has secured paying clients with revenues of over $100,000.

About Elevate Ventures

Elevate Ventures is a private venture development organization that nurtures and develops emerging and existing high-growth businesses into high-performing, Indiana-based companies. Elevate Ventures accomplishes this by providing access to capital, rigorous business analysis and robust advisory services that connect companies with the right mix of resources businesses need to succeed long term. To learn more about Elevate Ventures, visit elevateventures.com. 

About IEDC

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.  

CARMEL, IN – (1/19/17) – Codelicious is partnering with Girl Scouts of Central Indiana for a hands-on computer session where Girl Scout Brownies will earn their Computer Expert Badge. The event takes place on Saturday, January 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Girl Scouts for the Brownie Computer Expert Badge activity,” said Christine McDonnell, CEO of Codelicious. “At Codelcious, we help kids build confidence, have fun, and gain valuable technology skills for their future. This mission directly aligns with Girl Scouts’ mission of building confidence and empowering young girls.” During this class, Brownie Scouts will earn their Computer Expert Badge by: ● Planning their dream vacation ● Digitally creating a picture of their favorite destination ● Developing an animated story to document the virtual trip using Scratch programming language ● Researching women who have influenced computer science “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are subjects every girl can love and pursue,” said Deana Potterf, Chief Communications Officer of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana. “At Girl Scouts, we are driven to empower girls to excel in these exciting and enriching fields. Through events like this one with Codelicious, we can give girls a safe place to try new things – without fear of judgement or failure.” Media is encouraged to attend this event. McDonnell will be there to answer any questions or provide more information about the event. Details are listed below: ● Event Title: Brownie Computer Expert Badge ● Date: January 21, 2017 ● Time: 9:00 – 11:00 ●Location: 600 E Carmel Drive Codelicious and Girl Scouts of Central Indiana are attending the Passport to High Tech event on March 18, 2017 at Conner Prairie. Both groups will have hands-on and interactive booths for students and parents to learn more about ways to get involved. Follow us on Twitter @CodeliciousHQand @GirlScoutsIN for more information and registration details. For more information, please visit www.ellipsiseducation.com and https://www.girlscoutsindiana.org/. Media Contact: Christine McDonnell CEO, Codelicious m: 615.804.9134 w: cmcdonnell@ellipsiseducation.com

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About Codelicious

Codelcious offers in person, progressively challenging coding classes for kids age 8-18. Codelicious is focused on kids first and prides itself on a safe, supportive and collaborative learning culture. Classes are offered at a variety of levels beginning with basic coding skills and concepts including learning Scratch. Codelicious also offers advanced courses for students in a range of topics including web development, app development, JavaScript, digital marketing and more. All classes contain a confidence building component, collaboration among teams and internet safety and security modules. Learn code. Build Confidence. Have fun. For further information on Codelicious, visit www.ellipsiseducation.com.

About Girl Scouts of Central Indiana We’re 2.7 million strong—1.9 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts’ founder Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we’ve made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit girlscoutsindiana.org or call 855.GSCIN.4U.

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