Aberdeen High School, Edgewood High School and Patterson Mill Middle/High School have earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award. Here are the details provided by the school district:
Three HCPS High Schools Earn AP Computer Science Principles Female Diversity Award
Recognized for Improving Female Representation in AP Computer Science Principles
Harford County Public Schools is proud to announce that Aberdeen High School, Edgewood High School, and Patterson Mill Middle/High School have earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles
(CSP). Schools honored with an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded access to AP computer science courses for female students in their communities.
During the 2023-24 school year, 1,153 institutions achieved an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for AP Computer Science A (CSA), CSP or both courses. Award contenders must either have reached 50% or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or have achieved a percentage of female computer science exam takers that meets or exceeds that of the school’s female population. Aberdeen High School, Edgewood High School, and Patterson Mill Middle/High School were among only 847 recognized for improving female representation in AP CSP.
“We are incredibly proud of these schools for earning this award” said Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson.
“This achievement highlights our commitment to ensuring all students, especially young women, have access to the opportunities and skills they need to thrive in the ever-growing field of computer science. By breaking barriers and expanding access, Harford County Public Schools is preparing our students to become leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers in this technology-driven world.”
“Computer science is the source code of our economy and much of the career landscape,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP Program. “In the seven years since we began the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award, it’s been heartening to see schools like Aberdeen High School, Edgewood High School and Patterson Mill Middle/High School welcome so many more young women into this vital field.”
The College Board believes providing young women with access to computer science courses is necessary to ensure gender equity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and to drive innovation, creativity, and representation. According to the data provided by the College Board, female students who take AP CSP in high school are more than five times as likely to major in computer science in college, compared to female students of similar background and academic preparation who didn’t take AP CSP. The study also finds AP Computer Science Principles students are nearly twice as likely to enroll in AP CSA, and that for most students, AP CSP serves as a steppingstone to other advanced AP STEM coursework.