Verein CoderDojo Zug
We are a group of technology professionals and other keen volunteers who run CoderDojo sessions (See CoderDojo for more details). At these sessions, boys and girls can get hands-on with coding and other engineering projects. Our aim is to get kids excited about technology and coding.
We partner with companies and schools in the Zug area to host and help run these events with us.
Our longer-term objective is to get enough critical mass in the region to run a proper CoderDojo in the form of a regular drop-in Coding Club.
History and Where We Are Today
In 2016, employees from Thomson Reuters helped run a CoderDojo at the 2015 World Economic Forum in Davos.
In 2016, Thomson Reuters sponsored 2 CoderDojo events at their offices in Baar, working closely with the International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL).
In 2017, four events were held at the Thomson Reuters offices in Baar. Two English events run jointly with ISZL and two German language events with kids from local Baar schools with support from student interns from the Kantonsschule Zug.
In December 2017, we registered a Swiss Verein, CoderDojo Zug, (similar to a US voluntary association) so that we can get volunteers and sponsorship from other Zug-based companies to help us run more sessions.
In 2018, we organized two events at the Thomson Reuters premises in Baar. In spring we organized an English language event with the ISZL and a Dojo run in German in June with children from the region.
In 2019, Thomson Reuters relocated its offices to Zug and made the new premises available to us to hold another dojo. As well as the usual LEGO Robotics and Thirsty Plant Kit, we also offered a MicroBot track for older kids where they could build and program a Microbot and take their robot home with them.
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020, we could not hold any face-to-face dojos. Instead, we launched a 2-week English and German language home challenge during the spring school holidays. Kids could sign up to learn how to write music using Sonic Pi, or program a robotic tank using Java. A competition was held at the end to judge the best songs and for the fighting robots to find the best 1-on-1 and battle royale bot.
In October 2022, at the Annual General Meeting, three members of the Verein: Peter Pircher, Siân Parry-Sedgwick and Mark Hummel, resigned their membership effective December 31, 2022. Two new members: Jelena Laketić and Ilona Grzegorska, joined the Verein. Together with André Lambrechts, they were elected to serve on the Board for the next two years, effective immediately. The Board selected Jelena Laketić as a new President of the Board, taking over the role from Peter Pircher, the previous President.
In November 2022, CoderDojo Zug Verein continued with its activities. We organized the first in-person CoderDojo since the pandemic at the Thomson Reuters offices in Zug as a part of Swiss National Future Day. Read more about it here.