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Jefferson-Morgan gains computer science courses through Amazon

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JEFFERSON – Students at Jefferson-Morgan will work to broaden their horizons next year with additional computer science classes, thanks to a grant from Amazon.

The school district recently was accepted into Amazon’s Future Engineer Program, in partnership with Edhesive, which will add three computer science courses at the high school for the 2019-20 school year. It will also provide college scholarship and internship opportunities for students.

“We heard about Amazon getting into the engineering field and we’re always looking for educational grant opportunities,” high school Principal Brandon Robinson said.

He said the program will allow for one introduction to computer science course and two advance placement courses. Two teachers will attend a 40-hour class over the summer in order to teach them next school year, he said.

One of those teachers is Jodi Fulks, who currently teaches a computer coding course. She has a background in business, so when the district first asked her to teach a coding class she was “overwhelmed at first.”

“I just thought this is great for the kids,” she said. “It gets their feet wet and now they’ll be ready for those AP courses.”

The other teacher for the new courses is Amanda Moore, who currently teaches Algebra and statistics.

“I’m really excited about it,” she said. “I’m looking at this as a learning experience for me as well.”

Robinson and Superintendent Joseph Orr said the courses will affect about 100 students next year. Orr said the district had been planning to expand the engineering and computer science program, but that this Amazon grant put them two years ahead of the schedule they set for themselves.

“We’re a smaller district,” he said. “We’re a little guy, so we need as much help as we can get.”

Orr said the students have been excited for the new courses.

“There’s a buzz going around,” he said. “The school board is excited and the response has been phenomenal from the students, parents and staff.”

Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter

Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter

Jefferson-Morgan High School set up an engineering lab, with 3D printers, vinyl cutters, laser engravers and poster printers, all paid for through grants.

The district started an engineering program in the 2017-18 school year and has been trying to build it up with grants and programming, Robinson said. The district also was awarded this month a $35,000 PAsmart grant that will target computer science opportunities at the elementary school.

“We asked ourselves what we want to be known for, and computer science and engineering is something that we talked about,” he said. “We wanted that for our kids.”

They started with a Project Lead the Way grant which established engineering and coding courses at the high school and middle school. Last year the high school set up an engineering lab with three 3D printers, vinyl cutters, laser engravers, poster printers and t-shirt printers-all of it paid for through grants and donations.

Robinson said Wilson Forest Products donated several wooden barrel tables for the lab. They are refurbished wine barrels on wheels.

“We were looking for a creative way to have movable tables in here,” Robinson said.

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