Rockville, Md., July 12, 2023 — Montgomery Can Code, a unique and innovative public-private partnership formed by Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in collaboration with Apple, is thrilled to announce its fifth annual summer camp program. The program offers middle school students in Montgomery County, Maryland an exciting and educational opportunity to learn computer coding.

Montgomery Can Code camps provide both in-person, full-day and virtual, half-day options for MCPS middle schoolers. Running July 10 to August 4, 2023, there will be four week-long camps, accommodating the overwhelming interest of over 800 students who registered. During the sessions, campers have the opportunity to apply their knowledge tackling real-world problems, fostering their problem-solving abilities. Students receive hands-on experience with Swift, Apple’s open-source, user-friendly programming language.

The engaging sessions of Montgomery Can Code are led by expert instructors trained in Swift code at Montgomery College’s ignITe Hub. Each student will be provided with a loaner iPad and a Montgomery Can Code T-shirt at the beginning of each session. Upon completion of the camp, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion, recognizing their achievement and commitment to learning.

Students will have the chance to showcase their app solutions in a Student App Showcase event, which will take place after the conclusion of the camps. This event offers a platform for students to present their innovative ideas to local business leaders, fostering interaction and adding a real-world element to their experience.

Learning to code not only equips students with the language of technology but also promotes new ways of thinking and prepares them for future careers. The demand for highly skilled workers in fields such as cybersecurity, app development, gaming, life sciences, and hospitality technology is growing in the local job market. By exposing students to coding at an early stage, the Montgomery Can Code program provides them with a valuable advantage when seeking future employment opportunities.

“Collaboration between our educational entities, and our business communities is key to making the proper investments to create the workforce to fill critical jobs,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “That is why my team and I worked so hard to facilitate this endeavor, and I am excited that this multi-year collaboration with Apple, Montgomery College, MCPS, and MCEDC is serving more students and creating more opportunities for our workforce and businesses throughout our County.”

“Montgomery Can Code taps the creativity and ingenuity in our students,” said County Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, serving on the Council’s Education and Culture Committee. “I am so proud of the ongoing and committed partnerships with MCPS, Montgomery College, MCEDC, and Apple to provide this opportunity to our youth. Moreso, I am proud of our students who are able to take advantage of this program, utilizing their problem-solving and critical thinking skills to create solutions to community needs. Montgomery Can Code and the ignITe Hub truly are empowering the next generation of IT professionals with in-demand skills for the future.”

“MCPS takes great pride in collaborating with our partners to enhance opportunities for middle school students through the Montgomery Can Code summer camps and school-year coding clubs,” stated Dr. Monifa McKnight, Superintendent of Schools. “These captivating and cutting-edge initiatives empower students to develop essential IT and problem-solving skills, equipping them for future employment across diverse industries. The ignITe Hub at Montgomery College and our esteemed partners have been instrumental in providing invaluable support and resources for this endeavor. We eagerly anticipate remarkable achievements from our students as a result of this remarkable collaboration.”

“Montgomery Can Code’s expansion has been a success thanks to the collaboration between Montgomery County, Montgomery County Public Schools, the private sector, and the College, to better provide our community with the training it needs. It furthers our goal to prepare homegrown talent for thousands of IT jobs in our region while also advancing economic equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Jermaine F. Williams, Montgomery College president. “The coding and complex problem solving these middle schoolers are learning are key to the progression and evolution of the workforce. This early investment introduces our young learners to tools they will need going forward and are essential to our professional landscape and the county’s long-term success.”

“MCEDC has partnered with Apple and other county entities on Montgomery Can Code since its inception and we are pleased to provide ongoing support for this important program. It helps to prepare our next generation of workforce talent” said Bill Tompkins, President and CEO of Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation. “This program provides access to tools and industry skills which will be in demand and broadly utilized for years to come.”

Learn more about Montgomery Can Code summer camps and empower young minds to become the tech leaders of tomorrow.

About Montgomery College
Montgomery College is a public, open admissions community college with campuses in Germantown, Rockville, and Takoma Park/Silver Spring, plus workforce development/continuing education centers and off-site programs throughout Montgomery County, Md. The College serves nearly 60,000 students a year, through both credit and noncredit programs, in more than 100 areas of study. Learn more at https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/

About Montgomery County Economic Development Corporatiion
The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) is the official public-private economic development organization representing Montgomery County, Maryland. Created in 2016, MCEDC is led by a Board of Directors of business executives. Its mission is to help businesses start, grow and relocate in Montgomery County by helping them gain access to top talent, business and market intelligence and prime locations. For more information, visit https://thinkmoco.com/

About Montgomery County Public Schools
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is the largest school system in Maryland with 162,680 students. A diverse school system with students coming from 157 countries and speaking 150 languages, it consists of 134 elementary schools, 40 middle schools and 25 high schools in the system. MCPS is an award-winning system recognized with 39 National Blue Ribbon and 8 National Green Ribbon schools. Learn more at https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/

Link to press release: https://thinkmoco.com/blog/mcc-fifth-year