CodeDay Comes to Eastern Iowa

By Forrest Saunders, Reporter

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - It's a techy trend that's slowly taking over the nation. Saturday, CodeDay made an appearance in Eastern Iowa for the first time.

The event is actually a 24-hour computer programing marathon. From noon Saturday, until noon Sunday, elementary to college aged students competed to create the best computer app, game, or website in their allotted time.

Organizer David Welch called CodeDay an unconventional way for kids to learn.

"A way that's not like a classroom, where they're structured and told, 'You have to do this, you have to do this, you have to do this'. Instead, it's more of, 'I want to do this how about doing it'," said Welch.

Welch hoped the marathon would drive more students into computer science related professions, an industry in which some believe the US is rapidly falling behind.

"With a computer, and a little bit of experience, you can build something that impacts the world," said a CodeDay evangelist, Adam Ryman.

Those with the best programs when time was up received a microcomputer and a trophy.

CodeDay officials said they hope to make the marathon an annual event in Cedar Rapids.
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