Our children are the leaders of tomorrow. Whether that excites you, or terrifies you, we need to prepare them for the big, bad world they’ll soon be commanding. With technology starting to affect nearly every aspect of our lives, it’s necessary to ensure they know how to use computers and the internet. However, one non-profit in Ireland recently took things a step further with free classes that teach children to code. Now, thanks to a partnership with GitHub, the organization will soon take on North America.

Not too long ago, Web coding was the rarified realm of computer geeks, but a new crop of entrepreneurs is making this valuable computer skill available to just about anyone with an inclination to learn.

In New York, a nascent startup called Codecademy, the brainchild of two former Columbia University students, has managed to sign up hundreds of thousands of users since launching in August. Celebrity participants such as New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg have helped create buzz.

“Coding is the new literacy,” said cofounder Zach Sims.

“As the world moves toward becoming increasingly complicated, it’s important to know what you’re doing.”

(click-through for full story)