Parker County Today June 2017 | Page 110

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Way . With categories from cobblers and pies to salsa and miscellaneous , there is one important rule you must go by to enter — it must contain peaches . There are both youth and adult categories in this event for every chef in the family .
The Peach Pedal is a fun event for bike riders the morning of the festival . Numerous participants come together to ride in their choice of the multiple routes from 8 to 61 miles flagged off . This ride will take participants throughout the beautiful , rolling hills of Parker County as they pedal for a terrific cause . All proceeds from this event will go to the United Way of Parker County .
Whether you come for the food or the fun , the Parker County Peach Festival is a must do event that will give you and your kids memories for a lifetime .
For more information , go to parkercountypeachfestival . org .
Again , Parker County Peach Festival will start at 8 a . m . and continue to 5 p . m . Admission is only $ 5 for adults and FREE for children 12 and under . Tickets may be purchased in advance for a discounted price of $ 4 at the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce office at 401 Fort Worth Highway , Weatherford , Texas 76086 .
For more information about the Peach Festival , go to parkercountypeachfestival . com .
JUNE 2017 PARKER COUNTY TODAY
4 . Code Camp
Teaching Kids how to Learn , Build , and Succeed in
Technology
Opened in May of 2016 , Weatherford Code Camp Open Labs has grown by leaps and bounds , becoming the hottest technology camp in Parker County . Owner David Christiansen opened the educational experience because he wanted to teach his children about how to program , and be interested in upcoming technology . Christiansen learned that by making teaching fun and inspiring , children would want to learn on their own how to code and work on programs , building their confidence in technology . The mission of the Code Camp Open Labs is to help students develop confidence in their ability to use technology to shape their own futures by providing technology education resources to educators , parents and youth . That goal has allowed David to not just teach his kids , but the opportunity for all kids to learn about technology in Parker County .
“ We try to give the kids challenges that are progressively harder throughout Code Camp that will challenge them ,” Christiansen said . “ For them , they don ’ t know that they are learning , they think they are having fun .”
Code Camp is a science-infused camp that runs different camps from June through August . The camp has over a dozen specific classes in technology for kids from the age of six to adults . Their most popular camps run more than one time , just in case you ’ re out of town . One camp is the Junior Hacking Minecraft for kids ,
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ages six to ten . This course uses the classic version of Minecraft , teaching children about a real programming language called Python to get access to places to build games , teleport , and change the world around them using Python .
Their Video Game Design class designs a 2D , Mario-style video game . Students start by using Bloxels boards to design their characters . They then take pictures of the boards to put the characters into the games to be able to animate their characters . They will design whole levels , learn about the many aspects of game design , including artificial intelligence in enemies , and then will present them to parents . This course demonstrates that games are not just consumables , but actual programs and machines , built using science .
Makerspace Skills for Inventors is a full class covering digital fabrication . Digital fabrication is rapidly changing the way products are designed , prototyped , and manufactured , and students in this class will get hands-on experience building projects of their own with cutting- edge digital fabrication technology . The first half of this camp is focused on teaching the students to use the equipment in their makerspace , then students will use the remaining class time to design and build projects of their own using any , or all , of the technology covered in class , including : 3D printing , digital media production ( vinyl ), prototyping concepts , dye sublimation , laser cutting and engraving , and automated embroidering . There are material fees that may apply to it . If your kids love science and technology , check out Weatherford Code Camp Open Labs . Christiansen and his staff have an open door policy with open houses for prospective parents who want to come and check out what all is going on . Besides the day camps , they offer afterschool programs that go into even more depth to continue your child ’ s science education throughout the school year .
For more information on each month ’ s camps and after school program , go online to www . codecampopenlabs . com .