{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://foster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/foster-participates-in-hour-of-code-to-highlight-computer-science", "Foster Participates in \u201cHour of Code\u201d To Highlight Computer Science Education In Bolingbrook", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Bill Foster", "F000454", "foster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Joliet, IL \u2014 Today, Congressman Bill Foster visited BJ Ward Elementary School in Bolingbrook to participate in an \u201cHour of Code\u201d event and talk about the importance of computer science education.\u00a0\n\u201cAs a scientist and businessman who built a career using computer programing, it\u2019s wonderful to see students learning these important skills,\u201d said Foster.\u00a0 \u201cWatching kids learn to code is an important reminder that any child can succeed if given the tools and training.\u00a0 Learning computer science skills is essential for success in today\u2019s economy and should be a core part of our children\u2019s education.\u201d\nRep. Foster spoke with students about how as teenagers, he and his brother Fred started a company in their basement that now manufactures most of the computerized theater lighting equipment in the U.S., including Disneyland, Broadway shows, Super-Bowl halftime shows, churches, schools, and community theatres throughout the world.\nFoster also explained the importance of computer code in scientific research.\u00a0 Computer simulations were essential in the discovery of the Top Quark, the heaviest known form of matter, at the experiment Foster worked on at Fermilab.\u00a0 Foster worked at Fermilab for 23 years.\nCongressman Foster spent the next hour in Katie Rios Thomas' classroom, watching and helping her students as they got their first hands-on experience writing simple computer programs.\u00a0 The Hour of Code is a nationwide event sponsored by Code.org, encouraging students to learn more about computer science education.\u00a0 More information is available here.\n\"The kids were making amazing progress.\u00a0 We saw them start from zero, then watched them optimizing code size by adjusting iteration counts on program loops within the first 45 minutes\", added Foster.\nAnyone can participate in the hour of code by going to code.org/learn.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://foster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/foster-participates-in-hour-of-code-to-highlight-computer-science"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2154921423643827, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}