AUSTIN, Texas — Apple CEO John Ternus visited Summitt Elementary School in Austin on Friday, where fourth graders put their coding skills to the test as part of an Apple-supported program with Region 13.
A group of 24 students has spent the past three weeks learning to code and solve problems on iPads. As a final project, each student designed a coding challenge for their classmates. On Friday, students took on each other’s challenges, programming Sphero robots to navigate obstacle courses.
“I think of how much I wish I was doing this when I was their age,” Ternus said. “These kids are so smart and they’re getting to do things that when I was a kid I never had a chance to do.”
Apple CEO John Ternus visited Summitt Elementary School in Austin on Friday, where fourth graders put their coding skills to the test as part of an Apple-supported program with Region 13. (Photo: CBS Austin)
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This is the second year Region 13 has brought the program to Summit Elementary. Last year, nearly every student at the school got hands-on experience with iPads and Apple tools, with help from Apple experts and volunteers from Apple’s Austin campus. This year’s advanced session focuses on coding and game development.
Ternus said Apple has worked with Region 13 since 2022, reaching more than 40,000 students by providing iPads and helping teachers and librarians create programs.
According to Apple, the company has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants to Region 13 since 2023, supporting its educational initiatives.
“We’ve been in Austin for over 30 years,” Ternus said. “It’s our second largest campus in the U.S. with over 10,000 team members here.”
Ternus’ visit came on the same day he welcomed customers at the Apple Store at the Domain Northside for the launch of the iPhone Duo, the company’s first foldable iPhone. He also said he plans to attend this weekend’s Formula One race at the Circuit of the Americas.