Typing contest teaches keyboard skills -- needed even in the computer age

ROMEOVILLE, Il (Catholic Explorer) - Fifth graders at St. Andrew the Apostle School attempt to win trophies and savings bonds during the annual Type Your Heart Out contest held at the school.

The computer age has eliminated the term typewriter from common vernacular, but the keyboarding skills used on the devices are an essential part of everyday life for many.

Janet Zilka, technology coordinator and keyboarding teacher at St. Andrew the Apostle School in Romeoville, realizes the importance of keyboarding so seven years ago, when she was teaching at St. Dominic School in Bolingbrook, she organized the Type Your Heart Out contest. She has taught at the Romeoville school the last two years where the contest continues. She extends an invitation to compete in the contest to other Catholic schools in the Joliet Diocese as well. This year's contest was held March 10-14. Students from St. Andrew the Apostle School and St. Mary Nativity School in Joliet participated.

"Keyboarding is such an important skill," Zilka told the Catholic Explorer as she prepared her students for a test. "I wanted the children to try to improve their skills and the contest really motivates them to improve. To be able to keyboard you need to practice a lot. It only takes a few minutes for the contest, just 10 minutes, and then they are done. I have noticed that the students' (typing) speeds go up 10 to 15 words a minute because they are practicing so much."

Fun for all grades

The students sign up as individuals or as teams. The teams consist of four to six members per grade from each school. Grades fourth through eighth participate in a one-minute relay race and a home row race, with each student allowed two attempts and the best score is used. Students also compete in a number race, where they must use the numbers at the top of the keyboard. The team contest comprises the four best scores from the one-minute relay. Third grade students have a Type to Learn test where they need to type the home row and other keys. They also participate in a home row contest. First and second grade students type the home row, R, U, G and H and the Enter and Space keys.

Zilka spent weeks prior to the event planning the contest, in addition to soliciting businesses and families for donations to purchase trophies and $50 savings bonds that are distributed to the top typist in each grade.

"It's a pretty big deal and the students just love it," Zilka said. "The contest is a huge amount of work, but the children really love it and look forward to it every year. They get really excited about it. Keyboarding is still so essential (to school work) and it provides them with good skills that make them 10 times better with anything they have to do in life because it teaches them discipline and perseverance."

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About 175 students participated in the contest and most said they practiced for weeks, often heading for the keyboarding room to spend time on the typewriter during recess rather than spending time with their friends.

"I come in to practice during recess and work on the Type to Learn," said Klaudia Ptak, fifth grade student at St. Andrew the Apostle School. His fastest speed is 81 words per minute. "I practice and I know I am getting good at it. I also like that you can't get too nervous or you (aren't able) to type fast."

'Typing makes you faster'

Daniela Evans types 69 words per minute and is one of the top typists in her sixth-grade class because she practices often, including during recess.

Also a fifth grader at the Romeoville school, Francesca Embrey said this was the second year she participated in the contest and enjoys it because it is fun to sharpen her skills on the keyboard.

"I practice at home on the weekends for 10 minutes a day," Embrey said. "I like typing and I know it's important because Mrs. Zilka said we will use it a lot when we're in high school."

Ashley Givhens said she looked forward to the test because she liked participating on a team with her friends. The student also anticipated keyboarding would be essential for future schoolwork.

"Typing makes you faster and that is (going to be important) when I have to type a paper that I need for school," Givhens said.

Emma Ortiz, sixth grader at St. Andrew the Apostle School, averages 65 words per minute, with a high score of 94 words per minute. "I look forward to (the test) but I also get nervous," Ortiz said.

She understood that keyboarding would help throughout her life. She said, "I practice at home 15 minutes a day after I finish up my homework. My mom is an accountant and she spends all day on the computer. Whenever I get a low score I want to practice and do it again so I can get a better score."

Excelling in keyboarding is a life skill for these students, added Zilka. "I have students who are in college now who call me and ask, 'Have you had the contest yet?'" Zilka said. "They tell me they are glad that I was so tough on them and a lot of their friends are amazed at how fast they can type.

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"They said that keyboarding is the one thing they used all the time in high school. They also said it brings up good memories" of when they attended the Catholic grade school. Zilka continued, "My philosophy is, 'Why not teach it right from the beginning, before the students get to high school, so they don't have any bad habits?' It's such an important skill."

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This story was made available to Catholic Online by permission of the Catholic Explorer(www.catholicexplorer.com), official newspaper of the Diocese of Joliet, Ill.