theCoderSchool is making its entrance into the Arizona market by opening Gilbert’s only in-person, after-school kids’ coding center. In order to teach children computer programming skills, they employ dynamic teaching methods and super small ratios to keep the kids engaged and having fun. theCoderSchool Gilbert will celebrate its Grand Opening on Saturday, February 12th from 1 to 3 p.m., where Gilbert’s Mayor Peterson will host a ribbon cutting ceremony. The event will have coding themed games and challenges for the children in attendance, as well as 50% off discounts to those who stop by.
“As parents we do what we can to set our children up for future success- we want them to excel in school, to make friends and make good choices,” said Emily Thornock, co-owner of theCoderSchool Gilbert. “The thing is, teaching our children to code helps with all of that. They come to theCoderSchool and find their ‘tribe’ of friends here. They learn a computer language, which improves brain function the same way as learning a different spoken language does. They learn sequencing and logical thinking. All this just by showing up and building fun, creative online games and Apps. The children don’t even realize this skill will set them up for future high paid, high demand tech jobs that don’t even exist yet!”
The new coding center is owned and operated by local family Emily and Rob Thornock, who have four children and were shocked when they learned Gilbert didn’t already have local coding offerings available. When they introduced their then 10-year-old son to coding, and he said that creating games and programs himself was “better than Christmas,” Emily and Rob knew that not only their son, but children across the Phoenix valley, should have access to quality coding instruction.
“By offering year round lessons and exciting Coding Camps during school and summer breaks, we are providing parents with different learning options.” said Rob Thornock, co-owner of theCoderSchool Gilbert. “We’re passionate about giving the children of Gilbert the tools they need to succeed, and we’ve met other parents who feel the same way. I’d encourage anyone who is interested to visit our web site for more information and see if our program is the right fit for their child.”
Rob, whose family has deep roots in Gilbert and grew up here, has an MBA from Wharton in addition to Masters degrees in Accounting and Russian Studies. As someone with a background in finance and business, and as an active parent, Rob realized theCoderSchool had an excellent model and employed best practices for teaching children. Emily, who has a degree in Communications, previously worked at a major Public Relations firm in New York working exclusively with technology clients. As a Technology Account Executive, she saw something that connected seemingly disparate products – whether her clients were developing 3D televisions, connecting home devices like smart fridges and thermostats, or promoting the latest in graphics technology – it all required coding. Together, the couple is deeply invested in their community and has a passion for education, developing new skills, and all things technology.
Founded in Silicon Valley by Hansel Lynn and incubated with the help of his best friend, Wayne Teng, theCoderSchool was built to provide children aged 7 to 18 years with a welcoming environment to develop computer programming skills. theCoderSchool uses a variety of platforms to teach many coding languages, such as HTML, CSS, Python, JavaScript and more. Every Code Coaching lesson is customized with the help of trained Code Coaches® who use a 2-on-1 approach to teaching.
“We are thrilled to have Emily and Rob join theCoderSchool family and expand the brand’s presence into Arizona,” said Lynn. “With their backgrounds and commitment to their children’s future, I have no doubt they will do a great job bringing coding to the Gilbert community.”
Founded in 2014 and franchising since 2016, theCoderSchool, a Silicon Valley-based children’s enterprise franchise, provides computer programming lessons to children ages 7 to 18. Identified as one of Entrepreneur magazine’s hottest brands, theCoderSchool has over 50 schools operating in over 15 states and continues to expand its national footprint with several locations in development in major U.S. and Canadian markets.
