Youth ages 10-14 are invited by the Economic Development Council in partnership with the Funhouse Commons on Orcas to participate in Arduino Coding. The course is an after-school introductory series designed to teach the basics of circuits, robotics and programming with a simple Arduino kit used by professionals for prototyping. The workshop will be led by Liam G-Watson, EDC programs coordinator. This program is sponsored by the Orcas Island Community Foundation and other generous donors.

Students will work with hardware and software to build their technical skills. No prior knowledge of Arduino or coding is necessary. Participants will need basic computer skills, and they will have two hours of projects per week, which they may complete during class. The course instructor will review essential topics and answer questions during each weekly session, and the EDC will provide computers and kits for students to use at each of the sessions.

Liam Griskey-Watson, a resident of Orcas Island, has a B.S. in computer science and has been working at the EDC for over a year to expand the EDC’s Tech Training Initiative.

The six-week course includes one weekly in-person meeting from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Funhouse Commons. Sessions start on Oct. 22 and end on Dec. 3, skipping Thanksgiving week (Oct. 22, Oct. 28, Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov. 19 and Dec. 3). The course fee is free to register. Please visit https://sanjuansedc.org/tech to reserve your space. For questions, call 360-378-2906 or email liam@sanjuansedc.org.

The EDC thanks San Juan County, the Orcas Island Community Foundation, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Port of Lopez, the Port of Friday Harbor and the Washington State Department of Commerce for their support.