Ridge View High School earns another College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award

For the second consecutive year, Ridge View High School is making significant progress in closing the gender gap for girls in AP computer science courses. Ridge View has earned the College Board AP ® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP). Nationwide, Ridge View is one of 834 schools receiving recognition in the category of AP CSP.

Ridge View Principal Dr. Brenda Mack says her educators are preparing female students for the in-demand jobs of the future. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Nevermind Chigoba and the entire Career and Technology Education staff dedicated to diversifying computer science education and preparing students to excel in lucrative and rewarding careers. We are extremely proud of our students’ work and hope this inspires them to pursue computer science degrees and employment,” said Dr. Mack.

During the 2022-23 school year, at Ridge View, of the 49 students taking the AP exam for the course in 2022, 28 were female. Since the College Board launched AP Computer Science Principles in the 2016-2017 school year, it has recognized Ridge View four times in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 for closing the gender equity gap in computer science.

According to the College Board, the median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $97,430 in May 2021. However, women represent just 24 percent of the five million people in computing occupations. The College Board also noted 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 female students of similar background and academic preparation who did not take CSP.