Chatham High School Wins Female Diversity Award

CHATHAM, NJ – Chatham High School has earned the first College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles.

Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP Computer Science courses. Out of more than 18,000 secondary schools worldwide that offer AP courses, CHS is one of only 685 to accomplish this.

“We are honored by this recognition and are proud of our students studying computer science for their achievements. As a District, we are committed to continuing to provide all students with access to computer science courses and learning experiences across grades K-12, as well as AP Computer Science courses,” said District Supervisor of Instructional and Design & Technology Danielle Dagounis. “Mr. Hajdu has done a phenomenal job of connecting with our female students to ensure continued interest and success in the subject area, as well as overall growth of the program which has seen a 375% increase in enrollment since the 2013-2014 school year.”

Schools receiving the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have either 50 percent or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a percentage of the female computer science examinees meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population. Only 490 schools earned the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for AP Computer Science Principles.

“I think this award is a wonderful recognition of the opportunity Chatham High School provides for all students to explore their area of interest," Principal Darren Groh said. "We have seen the number of females increase in our computer science classes over time and it is exciting to see how successful it has become."

The AP Computer Science Principles course launch in 2016 was the largest in program history. AP Computer Science Principles has promoted the growth of AP computer science in high schools. AP computer science course participation increased 135 percent since 2016, broadening STEM career opportunities for more students. The number of female, rural, and underrepresented minority students taking AP computer science exams has more than doubled in that period.

“By inviting many more young women to advanced computer science classrooms,Chatham High School 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 prepare them to drive innovation.”

Providing female students with access to computer science courses contributes to gender parity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and drives innovation, creativity, and competition. According to UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics data, less than 30% of the world’s researchers are women; in North America and Western Europe, it’s just 32 percent. Research shows women are more likely to pursue computer science if they’re given the opportunity to explore it in high school.

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