The CodeHS road trip continues, bringing computer science education to schools across Arkansas and Oklahoma! From small rural schools to large high schools with hundreds of coding students, these visits showcased the enthusiasm and curiosity of students and teachers alike.
Stop 1: Baptist Prep (Little Rock, AK)
The journey started in Little Rock, Arkansas, with a visit to Baptist Prep, where we met Amy Somers. A former high school teacher and longtime CodeHS user, Amy was excited to explore the platform's elementary curriculum. She got a hands-on tour of the platform and plans to introduce CodeHS to her superintendent to potentially implement it district-wide! Her students were also very respectful and we even got to take pictures in front of the CodeHS van.
At Jacksonville High School, pro teacher Joel Burlson’s students were full of energy, leading to an engaging Q&A session. Students were given an observation worksheet, and were encouraged to listen closely and ask thoughtful questions about APIs, AI, and the best LLMs to use. We found this handout to be really helpful with keeping students engaged and helping them have something tangible to take away from the visit. Overall this was a great group of kids and a good way to continue the road trip.
Stop 3: Two Rivers High School (Ola, AK)
We traveled deep into rural Arkansas and arrived at Two Rivers High School, home to about 500 students in grades 6-12. Pro teacher Jaime Blamey’s cybersecurity courses were in full swing, and it was great to see students actively working through their CodeHS lessons. The small class sizes could really provide a positive impact and allow for a lot of 1on1 help with students.
Stop 4: Hector High School (Hector, AK)
Another smaller school we visited in Arkansas was Hector High School, where just eight students in Carmen Quain’s class were advancing through the Python course. The group had great chemistry, full of inside jokes, and they were thrilled to see the CodeHS van in real life. This was another great school visit, filled with enthusiasm for coding and the kind of engaging classroom atmosphere we've seen throughout the road trip.
Stop 5: Southside High School (Fort Smith, AK)
Wrapping up in Arkansas, we visited Southside High School in Fort Smith, where pro teacher Gina Lewis, a longtime CodeHS supporter, brought incredible energy to the visit. With 800 students taking computer science classes—about a quarter of the school—Southside stands out as a hub for coding education. Gina’s passion for teaching was evident, and it was inspiring to see so many students eager to pursue computer science in college.
The first stop in Oklahoma was Newcastle Middle School, where six-year CodeHS user Tyler Warcup gathered multiple classes for a large presentation. The students were energetic, and after the talk, they rallied outside to check out the CodeHS van.
Stop 7: Shawnee Middle School (Shawnee, OK)
At Shawnee Middle School, Krista Farris teaches all three grade levels, using CodeHS for 7th and 8th graders while introducing 6th graders to the platform. It was great watching younger students navigate their first lessons in the Oklahoma Tracy course. It was another great school visit, filled with enthusiasm for coding and the kind of engaging classroom atmosphere we've seen throughout the road trip.
We made our way to Seminole High School to meet with pro teacher Briana Wymore. Coming from a digital design and marketing background, Briana was new to teaching computer science but found the transition smooth with CodeHS. She appreciated how easy the platform made it for her to learn alongside her students. It was also exciting to connect with her marketing students and discuss how computer science and marketing intersect—especially since many were working on business projects of their own.
___
Want CodeHS to visit your school?
We're well into the road trip and excited to visit even more schools along the way! You can still request a visit for the CodeHS team to make a stop at your school on the road trip. If you’re interested, request a visit here codehs.com/roadtrip.
Follow us on TikTok and Instagram to follow along on this cross-country adventure throughout the school year!
