Hi Crina,
Thank you for allowing me to contact you to learn about the robotics and coding program that you have developed with your library. Stelian gave me your contact information.
I am interested in learning more about how this program attracts youth to participate.
Would you have any time this afternoon or on Thursday to discuss via a video call?
Thank you for your response! I hope you are having a pleasant morning.
Best,
Meghann Lee
LiBri Community of Practice Officer
Thank you for your interest in the robotics and programming program developed in the Pietrari Library and then taken over at the national level. It is the "Code Kids - children code in public libraries" program, a program in which over . Unfortunately, this week my schedule is particularly busy because we have a week of activities carried out at the local and county level through which we celebrate National Culture Day and many of our remarkable writers. On the other hand, we are preparing to participate in a Regional Conference that takes place online on January 19. With great pleasure, I can be of use to you if you send me your questions that I will try to answer, and we can plan the online meeting on January 22, if necessary.
The story began in 2014 when at the Pietrari library we organized the first Hour of Code event, attended by over 200 children from our town. The success of the event led to the organization of the first coding hours in the library, as a weekly activity. The promotion of these workshops led to a visit to the Pietrari Library by Ovidiu Ana - the initiator of the Code Kids project, who took over the idea and transformed it into a project funded by the Romanian-American Foundation. Since then, the Pietrari Library has been hosting the Wizards Code Club Pietrari - our library's programming club, where many children have discovered their passion. An example would be Laura Simion - the first coordinator of the Pietrari team when she was 12 years old, who is now a student at the Politehnica University of Bucharest and who now creates and tests humanoid robots.
CODE Kids is a free program developed now by the Progress Foundation, which proposes a digital literacy solution for children in rural and small urban areas. It was born in the context in which almost 50% of rural children get grades below 5 in the National Assessment, in mathematics. Therefore, since 2017, the Progress Foundation has initiated, piloted and refined learning programming for children aged 10-14 in rural areas using public libraries as learning spaces and public librarians as learning facilitators. Our methodology is based on the fundamental research of Sugata Mitra – the SOLE model – Self Organizing Learning Environment, also known as the School in the Cloud model.
Annually, teams of coders from all over the country and the Republic of Moldova participate in Regional Fairs and qualify for the CODE Kids National Science Fair with tech projects that come to solve a community problem identified by children in their communities.
Annually, teams of coders from across the country and the Republic of Moldova participate in Regional Fairs and qualify for the CODE Kids National Science Fair with tech projects that come to solve a community problem identified by children in their communities.
The project aims to create a national coding and STEM movement in which children, young people, librarians and volunteers from rural and small urban areas develop their digital skills and get involved in the life of their community by solving creative digital themes.
• In 2023 , the Progress Foundation coordinated 227 active programming clubs in public libraries, schools or NGO headquarters in rural and small urban localities, in 40 counties in Romania, plus 30 clubs in the Republic of Moldova.
• In 2024 , we had 247 clubs, of which 213 in all of Romania and 34 in the Republic of Moldova.
• In 2025 we have 289 clubs, located in 252 localities, of which 222 in Romania and 30 in the Republic of Moldova.
Over 14,000 children have learned the basics of programming and are gaining STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) skills, at two levels of education: beginners and advanced, since the beginning of the program. The program received the 3rd Prize in the Education and Learning Section at the Civil Society Gala, 2023 edition.
CODE Kids is now a national IT and STEM education initiative for children, implemented by the Progress Foundation, with the financial support of the Romanian American Foundation.
Thank you in advance for understanding and I am sorry that I cannot respond to your invitation during this period.
Best regards,
Crina Popescu
Pietrari Public Library
I am very happy to share any details about our program during your Friday's webinar and I understand the situation perfectly. I hope that sharing our project will give rise to some very interesting ideas for other librarians, who will consider creating a program that will develop in as many libraries as possible. I also want to point out that in 2018 we have developed a section of programming courses that takes into account 3D printing and design, where Laura (and other volunters) is now a trainer.
Below you will find links to the photo albums of the Pietrari Library created over time. You can use any images you want, as we have GDPR agreements for library projects.
(5) Facebook - December 8 and 14, 2014 - the first coding hours at the Pietrari Library
(5) Facebook - inauguration of the first Wizards Code Club Pietrari (2017)
(4) Facebook - Wizards Code Club Pietrari - Library Robotics and 3D Printing Club (2018)
(3) Facebook - Collaborations with other libraries through Code Kids grants (2022)
(3) Facebook - Wizards Code Club Pietrari (2022)
(2) Facebook - Wizards Code Club Pietrari (2023)
(6) Facebook - Wizards Code Club Pietrari (2024)
Dear Crina,
Thank you for sharing so many great links that connect to photographs of the project in action!
I am glad to highlight this program on Friday. In case you are able to join, here is a link: Children, Youth, and Families | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
If you are able to attend, when I present this project feel free to jump in with your microphone to give any other details or answer questions that people may ask. I understand that with your schedule, you may not be able to attend, so please feel no pressure to do so. : )
Have a great day,
Meghann
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