Port Arthur teachers were honored for their achievements in expanding girls’ access to computer science courses.
According to a news release, Shalequa Landry, Computer Science Instructor for Career and Technical Education at Memorial High School, was honored Friday with the College Board Advanced Placement Computer Science “for achieving high female representation in the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles.” Received the Science Female Diversity Award.
Landry and Memorial High School is the national It is one of only 832 institutions in
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“Computer science is the source code of our economy and much of our daily life,” said Trevor Packer, director of the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program, in a release. “It’s been five years since she launched the (Advanced Placement) Computer Science Female Diversity Award, and schools like Memorial and (Career and Technical Education) campuses are welcoming so many women into this important field.” It is reassuring to see
Last year, over 44,800 women took the Computer Science Fundamentals exam. That’s more than triple the number she took in 2017 when the program was first offered.
Adrienne Lott, district media and communications specialist, said in a release: “We are honored that our school has received this award and look forward to seeing these young women and others pursue their computer science education and careers and achieve success.”
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According to the announcement, women make up only 24% of the 5 million people in computing jobs.
Landry himself hails from the Port Arthur ISD and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1992.
“This is a moment of full circle as an educator giving back to my home community,” Lott said.
“Providing female students access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender equality in high-paying jobs in the industry and promoting innovation, creativity and representation,” the release said. .
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According to the College Board’s Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles study, girls who take this course in high school are more than five times more likely to major in computer science in college. This is more than five times more likely than female students of similar background who were preparing for school but did not attend. course.
“Overall, girls remain underrepresented in high school computer science classes, accounting for 33% of participants in (advanced placement) Computer Science Principles and 25% of participants in (advanced placement) Computer Science A. We are,” said Release. “Today, 51% of her high schools nationwide teach basic computer science. Her 1,105 winners of this year’s Computer Science Female Diversity Award are the inspiration and model for all high schools in the United States. It’s happening.”
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