Mercy High School Earns College Board AP Computer Science Award

Mercy High School in Middletown has earned the AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award from the College Board for achieving high female representation in the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles course.

Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP Computer Science courses. Mercy High School was one of 831 schools across the country recognized in the category of AP Computer Science Principles for the 2019-20 school year.

“During an unprecedented year, Mercy students have demonstrated perseverance and dedication in their study of AP Computer Science,” said Melissa Bullock, Principal of Academics and Technology at Mercy. “We could not be more proud of our students for staking their claim as the next generation of STEM and computer science professionals. We can’t wait to see their passion for next generation technology lead to lifelong success.”

AP Computer Science Principles is a full-year introductory college-level computing course that introduces students into the field of computer science through hands-on, project-based, collaborative learning.

The course introduces students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity, and how computing impacts our world. Students develop the computational thinking skills needed to fully exploit the power of digital technology and help build a strong foundation in core programming and problem-solving.

“Young women deserve an equal opportunity to become the next generation of entrepreneurs, engineers and tech leaders. Closing the gap in computer science education empowers young women to build the future they want,” said Stefanie Sanford, College Board chief of Global Policy and External Relations. “Mercy students need the power to shape technology, not just cope with it.”

Providing female students with access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender parity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and to drive innovation, creativity, and representation. The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $88,240 in May 2019. However, a code.org analysis of 2017 Bureau of Labor Statistics data finds women represent just 24% of the 5 million people in computing occupations.

“This is the third consecutive year that Mercy has received the AP Computer Science Principles Award,” Alissa DeJonge, President of Mercy High School. “AP Computer Science Principles is a great introduction to computer science, providing a in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of the field and an awaress of the varied career potential. We are immensely proud of the dedication of our students and their noteworthy achievement.”

Additional AP classes in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields offered to students at Mercy High School include Biology AP/ECE, Chemistry AP, AP Computer Science A, Physics 1 AP, and Physics 2 AP. In addition, Mercy offers extra-curricular coursework in Robotics.

College Board is the nation’s largest college-going organization, helping millions of students navigate the transition from high school to college each year. According to College Board data, 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 similar female students who did not take CSP. The study also finds that for most students, AP CSP serves as a stepping-stone to other advanced AP STEM coursework.

The schools that received this year’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award should serve as inspirations and models for all American high schools, where overall, female students remain under-represented in computer science classes, comprising just 34% of AP Computer Science Principles participants, according to the College Board.

These findings make it all the more imperative, the College Board points out, that schools nationwide achieve gender parity in AP Computer Science classrooms. Currently, less than half of the nation’s high schools teach foundational computer science, a clear opportunity to be addressed by strong partnerships between policymakers, the tech industry, and educators.

The College Board noted the increasing number of students taking the AP Computer Science Principles exam since it was first offered in 2016-17. Overall last year, more than 116,000 students took the AP CSP Exam - a 21% increase over the previous year. In 2020, 39,570 women took the AP CSP exam, nearly three times the number who tested in 2017.

Students in photo:

Back row, left to right: Madeleine Thompson ’21, Kaila Lujambio ’21, Elena Cahill ‘21

Front row, left to right: Michele Grelotti ’21, Hannah Wrubleski ’22, Hannah DeFilippo ‘21