By Claire Sachse
Claire.Sachse@tryondailybulletin.com

Bella Karabelski, a junior, and Sheila Rodriguez, a sophomore, were two of five female students who completed a computer programming challenge through Khan Academy, earning the Polk County Early College $500 toward the purchase of supplies for the math department.

The challenge involved the students learning how to do computer animations through formulas.

“We used formulas to make figures mathematically,” said Rodriguez. “By adding formulas to formulas, we could make it move, and change color. It was very hard and frustrating,” she added.

“It was basically [computer] coding,” said their math teacher, Rachel Lampros.

“It started simple, but it got more challenging,” said Karabelski.

Khan Academy is an online learning resource platform that offers practice exercises, instructional videos, dashboard analytics and teacher tools so learners in and outside of the classroom can study at their own pace.

According to Mary Greene, director of the Early College, Khan Academy challenged teachers across the country to get at least four female students to complete the computer programming course on their website, in an effort to influence more females to enter the computer programming field.

Katie Norton, Samantha Russell and Kasey Ruff brought the total to five for the females who participated in the challenge.  Four boys participated in the 12-hour course also, including Dakota Merrill, Quincy Snyder, Adam Buchanan and Daniel Smith.

Lampros will use the money to purchase puzzle books, novels that incorporate math, math posters, math books and classroom supplies. Her students will also create their own interactive textbooks.