Phillips County students learn to code

Do you like raspberry pie? I do. Today we’ll learn about a different kind of raspberry pie – the kind spelled P-I, as in the mathematical symbol. In this case, Raspberry Pi is the name of a type of computer used by students who are learning to do computer coding. This high-tech project is an initiative of an innovative economic development director in rural Kansas.

Nick Poels is executive director of economic development in Phillips County. He works to build partnerships in various ways to benefit the county as a whole. Phillips County includes the rural communities of computer science vs computer engineering, Logan, Agra, Kirwin, Long Island, Prairie View, Glade, population 86, and Speed, population 35 people. Now, that’s rural.

Nick uses various programs to benefit the county, such as rural opportunity zones, Network Kansas, a commercial revitalization program, and more. In 2018, Nick was in a site council meeting with the Phillipsburg school district when there was discussion about the need to integrate more computer science into education. Forward-looking educators recognized the need for students to have high-tech skills for future careers.

Thanks to Nex-Tech, the local rural telephone company, the community has access to high capacity fiber-optic cable. “Phillipsburg had the benefit of fiber-to-the-premise infrastructure before it reached places like Topeka and Olathe,” Nick said He recognized an opportunity to use this capacity and to help students learn high-tech skills. He proposed to his county economic development board that Phillips County Economic Development would partner with the school in a student initiative on computer coding. With the board’s support, PCED bought equipment and online curricula for this project.