OHS wins AP’s Female Diversity Award for Computer Science

Olney High School is one of about 1,100 schools nationwide to win the College Board’s Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to computer science coursework, measured by how many Olney girls took the Advanced Placement exam in computer science during the 2022-23 school year.

The College Board administers Advanced Placement exams, which allow high school students to earn college credit. The College Board honored schools that have either reached 50 percent or higher in female examinee representation in one or both AP computer science courses – Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) or Computer Science A (AP CSA). The honor also went to schools whose percentage of female examinees met or exceeded that of the school’s female population, the College Board said.

Olney was recognized for its female participation in Computer Science A, along with 208 other schools from around the country. Olney Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Greg Roach and OHS Principal Brienne Brock said the district encourages every child to take advantage of the AP program. “The key to this is not to encourage students by the labels or groups the federal and state government lump students into,” Dr. Roach said. “The key is to encourage all students. We are in the kid business. When all kids are encouraged, and an award like this is received, it truly means something.” “Within all of our programs at OHS, we encourage all students who express interest or we see an inner spark to pursue their dreams, achieve highly and participate within their means,” Mrs. Brock said. “Our Computer Science teacher is a female and within the classroom, she is able to cultivate an atmosphere where all students’ ideas and opinions are appreciated and rallied for. Students are allowed to experiment and feel valued in her classroom amongst their peers so they do not struggle to excel.”