Vestavia Hills High School has been honored with the 2024 Advanced Placement Computer Science Female Diversity Award by the College Board.
The award recognizes schools whose AP computer science enrollment is at least 50% female or equivalent to or greater than the percentage of the school’s student body that is female.
Vestavia Hills High School is one of 847 institutions nationwide to receive this distinction for its AP computer science principles program during the 2023-24 academic year.
“We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition, as it reflects Vestavia Hills High School’s commitment to creating opportunities for all students to excel in high demand fields and areas of personal interest,” Principal Blair Inabinet said in a news release. “Encouraging young women to engage in computer science is not only about representation; it is about preparing them to lead and innovate in a rapidly evolving world while fueling their individual passions in STEM-related fields.”
The achievement holds particular significance as demand for computer science skills continues to grow across Alabama and the nation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women represent only 26% of the computing workforce, despite computing occupations being among the fastest-growing sectors of the economy.
According to data from the College Board, female students who take AP computer science principles courses are more than five times as likely to major in computer science in college. The course also serves as a foundation for advanced AP coursework in science, technology, engineering and math.
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