Usher leaves Milton Elementary students star struck

Milton Elementary's computer lab was the place to be Dec. 11.

“Everybody wanted to be in my room, I was the bomb,” said Sandra Coleman, technology lab manager.

Milton Elementary was one of seven schools of about 67,000 worldwide that got a chance to have a live chat with superstar singer Usher. Other schools won chats with Bill Gates or other technology bigwigs, but Coleman said Usher was a definite fan favorite.

“We were totally psyched,” Coleman said. “Not that Bill Gates isn't cool, but Usher is cooler.”

About 20 third-graders gathered in the computer lab – along with a few teachers who popped in to join the group – to hear Usher tell them about the importance of computer coding. The Usher chat was the culmination of a week of activities sponsored by the Hour of Code, a program created by Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and others to introduce students to the importance of computer coding. The group estimates there will be a shortage of computer programmers in the future, and they have created fun games and programs for young children to learn about computer programming.

Coleman said Milton Elementary students work with computer coding throughout the year. She said her favorite program for students is called Scratch, and it is her favorite because it allows students to create whatever they want.

“They love creating games,” she said. “They'll work really hard to get their video games to work.”

All that hard work paid off for Coleman and her class when Usher lit up the computer screen in the front of her room.

One third-grader had an extra bonus by getting to ask Usher a question. Kyli Doyon-Baridon asked him what is essential for us to learn in school to be successful in following our dreams like you have, Coleman said.

His answer: Be passionate about what you do.

“It was pretty cool,” Coleman said.

Coleman said Usher unfortunately did not sing to the group, but he was very kind and was impressed with Kyli's question.

“When she asked her question, I think she charmed him,” she said. “He had the sweetest smile when he answered her question.”

The Usher chat topped off a week of computer programming activity at Milton Elementary and is something no one will forget anytime soon, Coleman said.

“We were all a little star struck by it,” she said. “It gave kids the chance to see someone famous and way cool.”