Summit High Wins Female Diversity Award For AP Computer Science

SUMMIT, NJ — Summit High School was recently recognized for its female representation in AP Computer Science — a course and subject matter that is typically dominated by men.

The district announced last week that Summit High School earned the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in its AP Computer Science A course.

According to the Summit Public Schools, more than 1,000 institutions achieved either 50 percent or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a higher number of female computer science exam-takers than the school's female population in the 2020-2021 school year.

In 2021, Summit High School was one of 199 recognized in the category of AP Computer Science A.

Mathematics Supervisor for grades -12 Eric Fontes said he is incredibly proud of the recognition that the high school received.

"High School Computer Science teachers Alex Gentul and Brianna Kane have done an incredible job building this program," Fontes said. "It’s also a testament to the District’s emphasis on STEAM, starting with the elementary school curriculum through the coding and robotics classes at the middle school, that spark our students’ interest in this exciting field."

Stephanie Sanford — College Board chief of Global Policy and External Relations — said by encouraging young women to study advanced computer science coursework, Summit High is helping to close the gap in computer science education, as well as empower women to take advantage of the opportunities available in STEM career fields.

"Computer science is the foundation of many 21st-century career options, and young women deserve equal opportunities to pursue computer science education and drive technological innovation," Sanford said.

In the course, AP computer science students learn to design and implement computer programs that solve problems relevant to today's society, according to College Board. Female participation in the course has increased by 33 percent since 2017, and overall AP computer science course participation has increased by 79 percent since 2017.

Jobs in the computer science field average high-paying salaries — with the median annual wage totaling $91, 250 in May of 2020. But according to an analysis of 2017 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, women only represent 24% of the five million people in computing occupations.

Although some progress has been made, female students still remain underrepresented in high school computer science classes, accounting for just 34% of AP Computer Science Principles participants and 25% of AP Computer Science A participants.

Currently, 51 percent of high schools teach foundational computer science, according to the district's website.

Get a free morning newsletter with news in Summit or another town: https://patch.com/subscribe