Robots in Fredericksburg

At Fredericksburg Elementary School in Northern Lebanon School District, students in Tiffany Hogg’s first-grade class have added a new subject to their skill set – computer programming. Using their school issued tablets, the children create a path or set of commands for the robot to follow. They revise their code, or “debug” it, until the robot performs the desired result.

Hogg was inspired to order the robots as a way to involve her students in the Hour of Code, a global initiative that seeks to expose children to computer coding. She was able to fund the robot’s purchase through Donors Choose, an online crowdfunding organization for teachers.

Hogg says she has enjoyed seeing students who normally struggle with academics, excel when presented with this new challenge. Working with the robot has not only taught them coding, but also other important life skills such as collaboration, problem solving and persistence.

Fredericksburg Elementary School was featured as the first TV spot in the Success Starts Here campaign.