Horrell Hill Elementary School receives $10,000 for computer equipment

COLUMBIA, SC – Richland One’s Horrell Hill Elementary School is one of 51 schools nationwide (and the only South Carolina school) selected to receive $10,000 in computer hardware and accessories from Code.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting computer science education.

Students and staff at Horrell Hill kicked off Computer Science Education Week (December 8-14, 2014) with a special assembly Monday morning for fourth- and fifth-grade students. During the assembly, Dr. Regina Wragg, a science education associate in the Division of School Effectiveness at the S.C. Department of Education, congratulated the school for being chosen to receive the $10,000 award. Students also demonstrated what they’re learning about algorithms by leading four of the adults in an exercise where they acted as robots that had to follow the students’ commands to reach a destination.

Horrell Hill students are joining their peers around the world in participating in Hour of Code activities this week. The goal is to give all students at least a one-hour introduction to computer programming. Horrell Hill students will be engaged in a variety of Hour of Code activities, including learning the basics of computer programming using characters they know and love, such as Anna and Elsa from Frozen and Scrat from Ice Age.

Photo:  Shown are (from left) Horrell Hill Elementary School parent and School Improvement Council member Feggin Durant; Jeannetta Scott, executive director of schools, Richland One; Horrell Hill fifth-grade teacher Jessica Allen; Horrell Hill students Andrea Stephens and David Gabrielli; Ida Thompson, director of instructional technology services for Richland One; Horrell Hill Principal Parthenia Satterwhite; and Dr. Regina Wragg from the S.C. Department of Education.

For more information about the Hour of Code, go to www.hourofcode.com. Media inquiries should be directed to Karen York at (803) 600-6072 or at [email protected].