Knightly News

“I love all of the activities we have done! I really liked the little color tiled sensor car. I am really excited to see what you have planned for us this week!” Anna, 5th grade

A new enrichment is generating excitement among fifth graders this year. In addition to rotating through religion, music, art and library, students now take Coding and Robotics with QUEST Center Coordinator Stacy Hill. In a short time, the first group of students has already used Swift Playground to move the character, Byte, across a virtual world and collect gems. Hill says not everyone has previous coding experience, but everyone is developing new skills.

A Host of Robots and the Boolean Value

“My goal is to expose students to a variety of coding and robotics programs,” says Hill regarding the purpose of the new enrichment. Beyond Swift Playground, Hill plans to introduce Scratch and other programs. In keeping with student interest, she also hopes to incorporate physical robots into the lessons. Episcopal has a variety of robotic options available, including Spero, Root, Indi Cars and Lego Prime.

As students develop technical skills, Hill introduces new terminology and says students are already incorporating the terms into the class. “They’re learning a language they didn’t know before,” she says. One example of a term these fifth graders have learned is the Boolean value, which represents a true or false statement. In addition, Hill uses the class to introduce another helpful skill – typing.

Resilience and Robotics

Technical skills aside, the new Coding and Robotics enrichment offers a host of social/emotional learning opportunities. Visit the class, and it’s apparent that students are boosting their resilience. “You have to get it wrong, and then it will give you a hint,” Hill advised a student. Hill says the program offers students insight into efficiency for the next assignment even if they succeed in the first one. “There’s not always one right answer,” she says.

As students work through coding challenges, there are moments of confusion that result from trial and error. However, the students are determined and stick with the assignment. Eventually, hands raise, and squeals and laughter erupt as the Byte character does exactly what the student intended. Students describe the experience as hard but fun. “You want to celebrate when you get it,” proclaimed one young coder. “It’s very exciting,” said another.

Coding and Robotics allow students to progress at their own pace. A room filled with students of varying skill levels provides the opportunity for more experienced coders to coach their less experienced classmates. This collaboration strengthens the class community and encourages teamwork that can reach beyond the code.

The Future is Now

As technology continues to advance, students must be well prepared for a digital world. “Opportunities to interact with technology in a fun and safe way allow students to gain the confidence needed to be responsible creators and digital citizens,” says Information Technology Director Michelle Chenevert. “As tomorrow’s leaders, our students will need technical skills to interact with others and the world.” Chenevert points out that the educational learning offered through the enrichment is meaningful, intentional and age-appropriate.

As students rotate through enrichment classes this year, they gain skills that complement and enhance other coursework. With such a range of skills and knowledge, they will be ready for their next educational step and beyond.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.