Location for yesterday’s iPad event is new HQ for Apple’s coding initiative

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HQ
Apple wants to teach the world to Swift.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The site of Apple’s education-themed event yesterday, Lane Tech College Prep High School, is set to become a special hub for the company’s “Everyone Can Code” initiative.

Working with Chicago Public Schools and Northwestern University, Apple announced that the Chicago-based institute will become a special “Center for Excellence” that will be used as a teaching and learning hub to introduce high school teachers to the Swift-focused curriculum.

In addition to providing free professional learning sessions, the building will also provide “in-school coaching and mentorship opportunities to ensure [teachers] are comfortable teaching the complete Everyone Can Code curriculum.” Apple will provide iPads, Macs and assorted other devices and accessories to support hands-on learning at the new Center for Excellence.

Lane Technical College Preparatory High School is a public 4-year selective high school located in the Roscoe Village neighborhood on the north side of Chicago, United States.

“There’s no better place than Chicago Public Schools — the first urban school district to make computer science a graduation requirement — to see the benefit that computer science instruction is having on students,” said Dr. Janice K. Jackson, CEO of Chicago Public Schools in a statement. “Our innovative collaboration with Apple and Northwestern will prepare more educators to lead 21st Century classrooms and help ensure Chicago students have the resources, support and high-quality instruction needed to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

Coding for Chicago

At the end of last year, Apple expanded its “Everyone Can Code” initiative to 500,000 students in Chicago public schools and city colleges. The program is intended to provide the necessary tools to teach people Apple’s Swift programming language for a place in the “app economy.”

“At Apple we believe coding is an essential skill, so we’ve designed Everyone Can Code to give everyone the power to learn, write and teach coding,” said Tim Cook at the time. “We’re thrilled to be working with our friends and partners in the great city of Chicago on this initiative. Together with Mayor Emanuel, Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges, we look forward to helping students learn Swift and build the skills they need to thrive in today’s workplace.”

Source: Apple

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