Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

RED BANK: INTRO TO CODING FOR TWEENS

kenny-katzgrau-083113-500x375-7136234Web developer Kenny Katzgrau says even fourth-graders can begin to code after a bit of instruction. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

The idea of computer code may be daunting to many adults. But kids are quick to pick up on the logic underlying the dominant technologies of our time, says Red Bank resident and web developer Kenny Katzgrau, who will lead an Intro to Coding class for kids aged 10 to 14 years old at the borough Public Library this Thursday afternoon. 

The primary goal of the 90-minute session, says Katzgrau, is to spark interest in what can be a hobby or the basis of a lucrative career.

“There is an incredible amount of hype surrounding learning how to code, and I don’t think the message for why it’s such a powerful thing has been made apparent,” says Katzgrau, who wears multiple hats: as CEO of adserving company Broadstreet Ads; webmaster for redbankgreen; and freelance developer for Yahoo, Mozilla and more.

What’s the value of learning to code? Not only is code used to write world-changing applications like Facebook and Google, it’s something you can get started with as a hobbyist, Katagrau says. “You can parlay that into a non-traditional high-school job building and maintaining websites,” he says, and later, turn it into a serious career in a field that’s revolutionizing almost every industry that exists.

“It isn’t just about building useful or world-changing applications, which is certainly possible,” says Katzgrau. “Learning to code leads to deep, analytical thinking skills, and has potential for an immense amount of creativity, with a startup cost of practically nothing. A hobbyist developer in middle or high school might write a program to play an unbeatable game of tic-tac-toe. Or maybe it’s something creative, like a paint program or something no one’s ever thought of yet. But it absolutely does lead down a path that can be very lucrative. Anybody who gets involved has the potential begin working toward a career, make a career switch, or simply learn something new and interesting.”

Getting started isn’t as mysterious as one might think, says Katzgrau, who’s taught coding sessions at Port Monmouth Elementary in Middletown. “It’s amazing how fast even the fourth-graders pick up on it,” he said.

The library event runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Registrants are encouraged to bring a laptop or Chromebook if possible.

Participants will learn to write lines of code, and then  jump into an open-source version of the popular game “Flappy Bird.” “We’ll modify the code to cheat, win the game, and search for other little hacks that show how we can alter the flow of code execution by adding or removing code,” Katzgrau says.

Sign up by calling (732) 842-0690, extension 111, or stopping by the library.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
redbankgreen Classics
Partyline
DEM GOV HOPEFUL FULOP VISITS RED BANK
110 people braved the ice on Super Bowl Sunday morning to head to Triumph Brewery to hear Steve Fulop’s case for why he should be our ...
REAL BRICKS!
Pardon our nerdiness, but we were excited to see the facade of the long-vacant building at 42 Monmouth being renovated with a facade that ap ...
NAVESINK SUNRISE
Sunrise colors Sunday over the Navesink. Shot from Maple Cove. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)
PET OWNER TO RED BANK: SCREW YOU
(photo and text by Partyline contributor Anna Cruz; headline by redbankgreen) Remember to scoop the poop!  
A HAIR DRYER IN A TREE?
(Photo and text by Partyline contributor Nicole Taetsch) If someone is missing a red hair dryer, it’s hanging from a tree on Oakland S ...
FROM DEEP LEFT FIELD..
(Photo and words by Partyline contributor Peter Cavalier) Shapes, Angles, and Colors: an Artist’s Canvas Where: A frigid Saturday morn ...
SUNSET ICE BOATING
Sunset ice boating Saturday. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)
ICY NAVESINK BLISS
Ice boating is back, baby! (Photo by partyline contributor Boris Kofman)
TEACHERS GET COUNCIL KUDOS
The Mayor and Borough Council honored five teachers from the Red Bank Borough Schools who were selected for the Governor’s Educator of the ...
RED BANK LIBRARY HEAD BIDS ADIEU
Eleni Glykis in her last day on the job in Red Bank Thursday (photo by Brian Donohue) redbankgreen stopped in the Red Bank Public Library to ...
TO TOWER HILL!
Parents and kids flocked to Tower Hill on Monday morning, taking advantage of the federal holiday and perfectly timed Sunday snowfall.
BROAD STREET IN WHITE
Taken during the snowstorm Sunday. (Photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)
Stunning Sunrise at Marine Park
Sunday’s sunrise from Marine Park. (photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)  
WALL STREET CLOSED FOR LEAK
Wall Street in Red Bank closed for water leak.
INDOOR SOCCER KICKS OFF
Pre-k and kindergarten aged kids were at Red Bank Middle School bright and early Sunday, participating in the indoor soccer program hosted b ...
SUNSET OVER FROZEN NAVESINK RIVER
Sunset colors Saturday evening over the ice shot from  Shrewsbury Ave. (Photo by Partyline contributor Thomas Doremus)  
ICY VIEW FROM TRAIN WINDOW
View of the partially frozen Navesink River Saturday afternoon from NJCL Train #7244. (Photo by Partyline contributor Karly Swaim)
RBR BEATS RBC IN BOYS HOOPS RIVALRY
 Red Bank Regional's boys basketball came out with the win at home against their crosstown rivals Red Bank Catholic on Tuesday in Little Si ...
FRIGID DINNER FOR WATER LINE WORKERS
Work continued into the late night hours on Bank Street Tuesday night as a crew replaced several water lines to homes under the town wide le ...
SNOWY THREE KINGS DAY
The three kings in the St. Anthony of Padua Nativity scene have a dusting of snow on their crowns as well as the gold, frankincense and myrr ...