Local teacher brings computer science to a Kern County classroom

Nena Thornburg is leading the way in introducing computer science to students in rural areas

• Only 42 percent of schools in California offered computer science classes six years ago.
• Local teacher Nena Thornburg is bringing computer science into the classroom.
• Computer science is a skill that will help students in any career field.
• Keeping up with technology is important for students.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

It might be surprising to you, but experts say just six years ago, only 42% of schools in California offered computer science classes as part of their curriculum.

Local teachers like Nena Thornburg are taking part in a week-long workshop, hoping to raise that number of students and teachers.

Nena Thornburg, is one of the 657 educators who participated in Computer Science Professional Development Week at summer of CS, in Anaheim, California. Now she's one of a select few bringing computer science into the classroom.

Mrs. Thornburg says,"Computer science is a skill that will help them in the future no matter what career field they go into. We are in a digital age where having knowledge and foundation in this is so important."

She says computer science is constantly evolving and growing, and that includes artificial intelligence.

"AI is a part of computer science...I feel like the direction of AI is a tool, and we need to teach students how to use that tool properly." She said.

Even her students say that keeping up with technology is important.

"In the future, computers will only get more and more integral to everyone's lives and if you can't catch up with it then you'll probably be left behind." Warren Woolf, said.

Just like technology, her computer science class will keep growing and changing each year.

Mrs. Thornburg tells me she only has three students in her class this year, but next year she hopes a bunch of students take computer science.

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