Students were not the only ones who spent Friday learning. Area educators also kicked off the weekend with a class of their own.

Provided by nonprofit organization Code.org and held at the Dallas County Family Resource Center, the free workshop provided K-5 educators a computer science curriculum. Teachers also received free supplies they can use to teach the course to their students.

“There is an importance of professional development for our teachers,” said Joyce Stallworth, an associate provost professor of English education at the University of Alabama.

School employees with Dallas County Schools, Sumter County Schools, Perry County Schools and other systems attended the workshop, which was from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.

During that time, participants learned about Internet safety, problem solving and more.

With today’s society being so technology driven, Stallworth said it is essential that teachers help prepare students for college and careers.

Because computer science is so instrumental to success, Stallworth believes it should be taught at an early age.

“If you look at the job outlook for this year, next year and for the next several, you see it is about science technology, engineering and mathematics,” Stallworth said. “They’ll be ready for those fields and prepared to participate in those professions where they are going to make good salaries as well as contribute something to society.”

Hattie Shelton, the Dallas County School System’s assistant superintendent, said the workshop serves an excellent way to start something that the Black Belt Region is lacking.

“Our kids need to be prepared to get those jobs,” Shelton said. “Right now in our area in the Black Belt, they are not prepared for that because we’re not teaching computer science at all. This is an excellent way to get it started.”