Spring Branch Middle Students Earn Chamber Certificates

Twenty-five students at Spring Branch Middle School earned special certificates from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently after completing a semester-long computer coding elective offered to students in Texas, Michigan and Tennessee.

The Achieving Tomorrow STEM Scholars Program certificates were awarded on May 4 during a special ceremony at the middle School.

The U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Carolyn Cawley and Cheryl Oldham were joined by school and educational technology officials at the special afternoon ceremony.

The Chamber certification award is given to certify completion of a computer program coding elective offered at selected middle and high schools nationwide.

The 25 Spring Branch Middle seventh- and eighth-graders began the coding course in January as part of a Code.org initiative to expand access to computer science for more groups of students, especially young women and minority students.

Spring Branch Middle librarian Brandee Smith, who is a STEM teacher, partnered with district volunteer and education advocate Karen North on computer science and coding lessons.

Education technology business partner Everfi partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to start up the Achieving Tomorrow STEM Scholars initiative.

In addition to the Chamber’s Cawley and Oldham, Tammy Wincup of Everfi was present at the May 4 ceremony at Spring Branch Middle.

Eighth-graders Payton Hill and John Iler spoke at the award ceremony about what they had learned during the coding course.

Spring Branch Middle students who received Chamber awards included:

Seventh Grade: April Anaya, Kenny Avila, Luke Bailey, Alexander Garcia, Seth Garcia, Mason Guzman, Reddrick Heard, Benjamin Ison, Alexander Lincoln, Kenna Lucas, Jahy Luu, Stiven Maldonado, Yesni Morales, Arian Nassiriavanaki, Joey Perez-Lopez, Emily Pocevic, Carlos Solis, Ester Soto, Raviar Sulaiman and Ro’mel White

Eighth Grade: Payton Hill, John Iller II, Conner McFadden, Adrian Pena, Syed Rehman

For more information:

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF)
  Achieving Tomorrow STEM Scholars program >>
• Read the blog post about the Spring Branch Middle School event >>
• View the Flickr photo album related to this event >>