🖥 Coding the Christmas Story: SALU/School Partnership Brings STEM to Life
What happens when a church offers to help run a Code Club? In Lhanbryde, it sparked a heart warming journey, where faith, technology and creativity met in surprising and delightful ways.
As part of a wider STEM initiative promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics among children, members of the church volunteered to run a Code Club at the local school. To everyone’s surprise, this blossomed into a regular role supporting P6’s Tuesday afternoon technology lessons.
💡 In the autumn term, the class explored the SCRATCH programming language.
Their final project was no ordinary homework; it was a digitally animated Christmas Nativity, retelling the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem…starting from Lhanbryde!
The children’s creativity shone brightly, and their tech-powered Nativity became a highlight of the church’s Community Christmas celebration, even featuring on Facebook for the wider community to enjoy.
🔧 In the new year, the adventure conHnued with Micro:bit –
Tiny computers that bring code to life through sensors, switches, motors and LEDs. Now, what the children wrote on screen could move, blink or respond in the real world. Their joy in seeing code come to life was matched by the growing connections between the school and church.
🙌 More than a fun afternoon activity, Code Club has become a bridge –
showing young people that the church embraces technology, innovation and their future. It’s a sign of a church actively engaging in both learning and community life. The possibility of developing this into a wider ‘Active Church’ initiative is already stirring imaginations.
