School Days : Gilroy Unified School District
Innovations in Education : Christopher High School ' s
Computer Science Academy
By Melanie Corona , Public Information Officer , Gilroy Unified School District
As the public education system evolves in the 21st century , GUSD is providing niche learning experiences through a variety of specialized programs offered to elementary through high school students , including the newest specialized program : the Computer Science Academy ( CSA ) at Christopher High School . The CSA opened on the CHS campus in August 2018 , in collaboration with Project Lead the Way . The four-year program begins as a student enters high school . Incoming freshmen apply in their eighthgrade year and 70 applicants are selected . Students in the CSA must complete courses specifically for the program — similar to what a college student would complete to obtain a major in a certain subject area — in addition to the standard high school curriculum .
Led by the program ’ s teacher , Tim Clark , the Computer Science Academy is in its third full year and will graduate its first class of seniors in June 2022 .
Student Tia Irani , a Junior , is taking advantage of all the opportunities CSA has to offer . Tia had an affinity for computer science and coding even as a young child . She began her computer science journey in the fifth grade . Her dad worked at eBay , and the company offered a “ Girls in Tech ” program as an introduction to coding for girls . Tia loved her experience and participated again as a sixth-grade student . When she was provided the opportunity to apply for the CSA as an eighth grader at Brownell Middle School , she didn ’ t hesitate . While women make up almost half of the workforce in the United States , they only make up 25 % of the workforce in technology , according to isemag . com . Tia understands the importance of women ’ s contributions in technology and wants to encourage girls in Gilroy Unified to consider applying for the program : “ Equal representation is important . Women ’ s contributions in this industry are important too .”
To encourage incoming freshmen to apply , Tia emphasizes that the program instills a sense of comradery and community . The program has taught her to work collaboratively with her classmates with the understanding that no one will present the same answer for evaluation . Work that a student submits is their own . However , the journey to the solutions occurs collaboratively in a group .
“ When you see that someone else is struggling , you know that you ’ re not alone . You also know that there is someone who gets it , and that classmate will help you . They have your back . This program teaches you to have confidence in yourself ,
and also teaches you that it ’ s okay to struggle as long as you want to improve . You have a set number of answers in computer science . The fun part is trying to get to the answer you choose ,” she mused .
The confidence Tia has gained in the program has paid dividends . She has learned to ask for help from Mr . Clark , which led to her understanding about how concepts are being taught . In turn , she ’ s been able to help her peers with the concepts they are all learning together . Through the program she has realized that people learn things differently , and in coding , varying approaches to problems yield different results — all of which can be right .
So far , her favorite experience in the program happened during her sophomore year where she developed an educational app to help students practice skills in English and mathematics for the AP Computer Science exam . In her app , users choose the topic they want to practice , and the app generates a variety of questions to answer . For Tia , developing this app was an intersection of many parts of the program and a chance to demonstrate what she has learned . She was given a desired outcome , and it was up to her to problem solve to come up with a solution to the request . Her solution was the app itself .
After graduation , Tia wants to attend Stanford or USC as a double major in biological sciences and computer science . She wants to be an anesthesiologist . But her love for coding persists . She says that coding will be a great alternative career if med school doesn ’ t work out . As a talented 16-year-old , the possibilities are endless . But right now , she admits she ’ s just trying to make it through this school year , hoping to be back in the classroom with her friends for her senior year . She says that she will pursue an internship with a company this summer as a further way to build her resume for future endeavors .
While the Computer Science Academy at Christopher High School is a relatively new specialized program in GUSD , its impact is already evident . Students will complete the program with tangible skills that will translate immediately to college or the workforce following graduation . The program also continues to welcome mentors from the tech industry who can share best practices and experiences , and applicants from any middle school in Gilroy and surrounding areas are encouraged to apply .
For more information , visit : https :// sites . google . com / gilroyunified . org / computerscience / cschs / chs-cs-academy .
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