For the second consecutive school year, Keystone Oaks High School has earned the College Board AP ® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles. Keystone Oaks High School is one of 832 schools nationwide to be recognized for expanding girls’ access in AP computer science courses.
In 2017, when Keystone Oaks High School first added computer science courses to its curriculum, 25 students enrolled in courses, with only 5 students in AP CSP. Since then, more than 200 students have taken either AP CSP or AP CSA, with an additional 177 students enrolled this year; 53% of the students enrolled this year identify as female. Computer science is now a course requirement for all Keystone Oaks High School students.
“This is a tremendous achievement for our AP computer science students, their teachers, and our administrative team, who have worked diligently to expand our computer science course offerings and, while doing so, have made a concerted effort toward ensuring gender parity in computer science education, said Keystone Oaks Superintendent, William P. Stropkaj, Ed.D. “We’re honored that our school earned this distinction once again and we look forward to seeing these young women and others pursue and achieve success in computer science education and careers.”
“At Keystone Oaks, we are trying to do our part in reversing that trend by ensuring that every student is exposed to the fundamentals and creativity of computer science and to the careers that are possible in this field,” Computer Science teacher Kevin Gallagher said. “To watch them take an idea from a concept to a working application, and then to see them be inspired to pursue a career in this field, to me, that is the most rewarding part of teaching this class," he added.