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Prospect Hill Academy Charter School in Cambridge has earned the first College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science A.
Schools honored with the award have expanded girls’ access in AP computer science courses. PHA is one of 685 schools to accomplish this out of more than 18,000 secondary schools worldwide that offer AP courses.
“PHA has successfully achieved diversity in its computer science program through positive reinforcement that computer science is for all students, including students of color and girls,” said Ruth Farmery, PHA K-12 computer science coordinator. “The program at PHA provides students with a broad array of exciting and engaging project-based learning activities. Furthermore, we provide access to extracurricular opportunities at tech companies in nearby Kendall Square, which serve as a tangible link to the real world and allow students to visualize themselves in the STEM fields.”
Schools receiving the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have at least 50 percent female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses, Computer Science A and Computer Science Principles.
Five schools earned the Female Diversity Award among public, independent and parochial schools in Massachusetts.
“By inviting many more young women to advanced computer science classrooms, Prospect Hill Academy has taken a significant step toward preparing all students for the widest range of 21st century opportunities,” said Trevor Packer, College Board senior vice president of the AP Program. “We hope this inspires many other high schools to engage more female students in AP Computer Science and prepares them to drive innovation.”
