Two Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ high schools received AP Computer Science Female Diversity awards from the College Board.
Princess Anne and First Colonial were among 834 schools nationwide to be recognized with an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for having more than 50% female representation in the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles course during the 2022-23 school year.
Princess Anne computer science teacher Leigh Anne Fitz said the honor is appreciated.
“I’m thrilled the female population is up,” she said. Fitz promotes computer science courses every chance she gets and makes sure guidance counselors provide all the important information to students when selecting class schedules.
The effort has paid off. In the 2021-22 school year, 38% of students in the school’s AP Computer Science Principles course were female. The next year the percentage rose to 55%. The numbers of females taking the class is steadily increasing.
Fitz said it is important for all students to take computer science classes, including English as a Second Language (ESL) and special needs students.
“Students will miss out on things” without computer programming knowledge, Fitz said. “If you can’t navigate these things, you are going to be left behind.”
The course is more than computer programming, Fitz said. Students learn data science, cybersecurity, networking and artificial intelligence. They also study how computers have revolutionized society and thus could bring about possible privacy, security and ethical issues.
“Students are challenged to be creative problem solvers and to take a global look at computing,” Fitz said.
“We use data to make predictions and gain knowledge.”
That was the assignment she gave recently during an AP Computer Science Principles class.
Groups of two or three students collaborated to analyze and study a dataset of their choice and develop a hypothesis based on trends. One group chose sales at Walmart, while another looked at terrorist attacks.
Haneeta Parakala-Jain took coding classes in elementary and middle school and is in Fitz’s AP Computer Science Principles class. “I wanted to learn more,” the freshman said. “I wanted deeper insight into how it all works.”
Sophomore Ja’Leeah Chesson said the class will help her prepare for the future. Her plan is to study pre-med in college and eventually become a pediatrician.
Todd Tarkenton, Princess Anne’s principal, commended Fitz for taking pride in providing opportunities for all students to explore a relevant and rigorous subject that fosters a level of collaboration which will benefit them after high school.
“Having a female educator for a STEM course, such as AP Computer Science, immediately breaks down barriers for young female students considering such fields of study,” he said.
Fitz began teaching math at Princess Anne in 2000, and soon became fascinated with computer science. After earning a computer science endorsement on her teacher’s license, she took over the computer programming courses about 10 years ago after the previous computer science teacher retired.
Back then, students enrolled in computer sciences courses were primarily male, she said.
According to College Board, female students who take AP Computer Science are likely to major in computer science in college and thus be prepared for in-demand, high-paying jobs.
Senior Janae Tunstall, who hopes to become a software engineer one day, said she’s happy more females are taking computer science classes. “I think we should have more diversity,” she said. “Women can add so many different ideas.”