By Anna Skinner

Codelicious offers free coding classes in the Microsoft store at Keystone at the Crossing, and now the organization is branching into Carmel and Fishers. Beginning in September, 10-week coding classes will be offered for ages 8 to 18.

“A big element of our company is there’s really a need in the marketplace. Some schools are teaching code at some level, but there’s not really a lot of school offerings,” Codelicious Chief Marketing Officer Jenni Burton said. “There’s some commercial offerings, but in our classes you have a project you work on throughout the 10 weeks and develop skills throughout different classes. We are super youth-focused in regards of,  ‘Is it safe for kids, and is it the right thing for kids?'”

Classes are offered up to twice a week and last two hours each session. Classes begin Sept. 12, but Burton said students can register through Sept. 20. The 10-week course is $500. There are two course offerings for the fall, both geared toward ages 8 to 14.

In Codexplorers, participants learn to build computer games, develop programming skills and learn Internet safety. In Codewizards, kids learn coding skills, Internet safety and how to build interactive websites.

“We really are kid first. One of the other things we are focused on is building confidence in kids, like if a student has never coded before, we want them in that first class thinking, ‘I can create this,’” Burton said. “It’s something they can really get passionate about and do. They can come, we can teach them, and they have that interaction with an instructor. Coding and knowing technology is so important for students these days.”

For more, visit codelicious.com/courses.