North Bay high school teacher leads Canada-wide virtual coding webinar with Apple

North Bay teacher leads national coding event Teacher at West Ferris Secondary in North Bay partners with Apple Education to lead virtual coding event for participants across Canada.

NORTH BAY — As part of Computer Science Education Week, a North Bay high school teacher with a passion for coding teamed up with Apple Education to host a virtual coding event with participants tuning in from all across the country.

West Ferris Secondary School science teacher Brent Yacoback has a passion for coding.

"Of all the courses that I've had the opportunity to teach, the STEAM course where we get to teach the students coding, is by far the most fun," said Yacoback.

Yacoback has been teaching science, computers and coding at West Ferris for the last 15 years.

This past school week, he held a virtual coding presentation in partnership with Apple Education teaching the basics of coding and sharing activities with fellow educators and parents from all over Canada.

Using the 'Swift Playgrounds' program on an iPad or Mac, the users learned the fundamentals of writing real code.

"Coding not only leads into good job opportunities later on if life but, beyond that helps the students become future ready," explained Yacoback.

"A lot of experts tell us that jobs in the future will require coding."

West Ferris Secondary School has been collaborating with Apple Canada since 2016.

The school is an Apple distinguished facility and coding is in the student's curriculum.

Students in Grades 7 and 8 are learning to write code before their senior years.

"We're trying to get our kids prepared for pathways. Whether that's apprenticeship, college or university," said Principal Andy Gagne.

"When you look at the job sector that's out there like AI, machine learning or cryptocurrency that's happening, they're all built on the backbone of coding."

Yacoback and his colleague Ryan Culhane were nominated by their fellow teachers for the Prime Minister's Teaching Excellence in STEAM team award.

"It's the enthusiasm that Brent and Ryan have that builds that enthusiasm of coding for the kids," said Gagne.

Yacoback says it was very humbling to know his colleagues support the school's STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) program at West Ferris and are eager to incorporate it in their day-to-day teaching.

"We come-in every day and do the job we do because we love what we're doing. To be recognized by our colleagues in that way was very touching," he said.

Yacoback says his students are very enthusiastic about coding and are always eager to learn more about it.