Aspen Elementary School third grade teacher Rachel Bartram chats with Los Alamos Public Schools Supt. Kurt Steinhaus and Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thom Mason Friday morning at the school. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Aspen Elementary School third graders were ready Friday morning for their volunteeer, Dr. Thom Mason to show up in the Maker Space. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Spherical robots and iPads await being placed into use at Aspen Elementary School Friday morning for an Hour of Code event. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Aspen Elementary School third grade students guide spherical robots through a maze Friday morning. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thom Mason participates in a computer science coding activity Friday morning with third graders at Aspen Elementary School. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thom Mason observed Computer Science Education Week Friday by participation in an Hour of Code lesson with third grade students in the Maker Space at Aspen Elementary School.

Each year, Hour of Code teaches K-12 students coding basics and broadens participation in the field of computer science and Mason is one of 60 Laboratory volunteers in 94 classrooms in 24 area schools.

At Aspen, under the direction of teacher Rachel Bartram, Mason and the students navigated a spherical robot through a maze using programming they developed during Hour of Code. Mason chatted comfortably with the students and clearly enjoyed being part of the education process and away from his desk for an hour. He appeared to be was impressed with the observations and enthusiasm

More than 28,511 Hour of Code events were scheduled worldwide during Computer Science Education Weeek, including 195 in New Mexico alone. Learn more at hourofcode.com