Fifth-grade students in the Hazelwood School District’s (HSD) gifted education program, GALACTIC, participated in a live web chat with Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Monday, Dec. 9. The hour-long web chat took place at the HSD Learning Center, 15955 New Halls Ferry Road.

The GALACTIC program serves students from first through fifth grades. HSD gifted students will have the opportunity to ask one question of Gates. The web chat is part of the “Hour of Code” event about computer science and also features seven other schools from across the nation as part of Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 9-15.

“This is another great example of HSD students taking part in an event they otherwise would not be able to without the help of technology,” said HSD Superintendent Grayling Tobias, Ed.D. “I cannot wait to hear what the students will ask Mr. Gates.”

“Our students are so excited about this opportunity,” said Samantha Anth, Ed.D., director of gifted education and English language learners programs. “This gives our students the chance to ask the founder of Microsoft directly a question about computer science, a subject that they are currently learning about in the classroom.”

Other technology leaders taking part in the nationwide web chat includes Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, and Susan Wojcicki, employee No. 16 at Google, who was also recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the 20 most powerful women in the world.