Governor Tours Technology Program at East Providence School

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—Some high tech stuff is happening in East Providence schools and Rhode Island's Governor joined a group of local educaiton leaders to get a first-hand look on Thursday.

Governor Gina M. Raimondo, took a tour of the technology program at Edward R. Martin Middle Schooll, visiting the school's Google classroom and talking to students about computer science and technology.

"Computer science is the new basic skill," Raimondo said. "Programs like the one at Edward R. Martin Middle School are exactly what our students need to be competitive in the job market. Our Computer Science for RI (CS4RI) initiative will give kids an edge, so that they can get good jobs that pay, and Rhode Island becomes an innovation center for years to come."

On Monday, Raimondo launched the CS4RI program, the state's first comprehensive computer science education initiative. The effort, in partnership with Microsoft, Code.org, colleges and universities across Rhode Island, and others, seeks to help every public school in Rhode Island teach computer science classes by December 2017.

For more photos from the event, visit Governor Raimondo's Facebook Page.