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Coding Club Interest Survey: Sample Employer Letter

This is a sample letter and survey that a company can send to its employees to gauge interest in hosting a coding club. This version is written for an organization with about 1,500 employees, shown as ORGANIZATION. Only about 300 of them live in Minnesota near the Plymouth headquarters. The letter therefore explains the video-link option for employees at other sites.

Replace the bracketed items before sending.

To: All ORGANIZATION Employees
From: [Sender name and title]
Date: [Date]
Subject: Would your child like to join an ORGANIZATION Coding Club?

Dear ORGANIZATION Colleagues,

We are exploring a ORGANIZATION Coding Club for students ages 10 to 16, and we would like to know whether you, or someone in your family, would be interested. This takes about two minutes to answer. Nothing you say here commits you to anything.

What Is a Coding Club?

A coding club is a place where kids learn to write programs by building things they can see, touch, and show to their friends. Students don't sit through lectures. They make a program that draws a picture, or a clock that sits on their desk, and then they figure out how to make it better.

Here is how the club would work.

  • Where and when: The club would meet once a month at the ORGANIZATION headquarters in Plymouth, Minnesota.
  • Who: Students ages 10 to 16. No coding experience is needed.
  • Join by video: We can provide a video link so employees at other ORGANIZATION sites can join each meeting remotely.
  • Show and tell: Each quarter the club holds a show and tell where students present their own projects to the group, their families, and their coworkers.

Two Ways to Learn

Every student can choose the format that fits them, or do both.

1. Online, at your own pace: Python with turtle graphics

Students learn Python by telling a "turtle" how to move around the screen and draw shapes, patterns, and art. The lessons are completely online, so students can work at their own speed at home. They can come to the monthly meeting to share what they made and get help with anything that is stuck.

2. In person, with hands-on kits: MicroPython

At the monthly meetings, students build real electronics projects using small kits and write MicroPython code that runs on the hardware. Over 60 different kits are available to choose from.

For example, the $20 SmartClock kit lets a student build their own clock. It shows the time and weather, and has a stopwatch and a timer. It can even show notifications about upcoming school events.

See the SmartClock kit
See the Full List of STEM Kits

Families who want to take a kit home can purchase it. Kits cost $20 to $50, depending on the cost of the parts.

Your Answers

Please answer the questions below by [response deadline]. You can reply to [contact email] or return this page to [drop-off location].

Your Information (optional)

  • Name: ______
  • Email: ______
  • Work location:
  • [ ] Plymouth headquarters
  • [ ] Other Minnesota location
  • [ ] Outside Minnesota (I would join by video)

Question 1. Do you have a student age 10 to 16 who might want to participate?

  • [ ] Yes
  • [ ] Maybe
  • [ ] No

If yes or maybe, how many students? __ Their ages: ______

Question 2. What days and times would work best for you?

The club meets once a month. Please check all that would work.

  • [ ] Weekday after school, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
  • [ ] Saturday
  • [ ] Either would work for us

Question 3. Would you like to volunteer to help organize logistics?

Volunteers help with things like scheduling, room setup, snacks, and greeting families. No programming skills are needed. If you check yes or maybe, please fill in your name and email above so we can reach you.

  • [ ] Yes, please contact me
  • [ ] Maybe, tell me more
  • [ ] No, not at this time

Comments (optional)

Is there anything else you would like us to know, such as a topic your student is excited about or a question about the club?

Thank you for your time. We will share the results with everyone once the surveys are in, and we will contact families who are interested as soon as we have a date.

Sincerely,

[Sender name]
[Title]
ORGANIZATION