Closing the gender gap in computer science classes is a goal at Sandy Creek High School, and one that has earned the school national recognition for the number of female students enrolled in a specific Advanced Placement (AP) computer science course.
Sandy Creek High School has earned the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles.
The school is one of only 831 in the nation to be recognized for this achievement, and is one of just 14 in Georgia to earn the award. To qualify, schools must have 50 percent or higher female representation in one of two AP computer science courses, or a percentage of female computer science examinees meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population during the 2019-2020 school year.
Sandy Creek High School Principal Richard Smith credits teacher Melissa Turnipseed for encouraging students to explore computer science.
“We are very proud of what Mrs. Turnipseed is doing to expose all of our students to computer science,” Smith says.
