Kelly Walsh High School Receives College Board’s Female Diversity Award

Kelly Walsh High School, one of three high schools in Casper, WY was recently named a recipient of the 2020 College Board’s Female Diversity Award for AP Computer Science Principles.

The AP Central website writes that, “Schools receiving the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have achieved either 50% or higher female exam taker representation in one of or both AP computer science courses, or a percentage of female computer science exam takers that meets or exceeds that of the school’s female population.”

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1,119 schools were recognized for their work toward equal gender representation during the 2019-20 school year, the AP site stated. This was nearly 37% more than the 818 schools that were recognized last year.

“Studying computer science can open doors for students, giving them the tools to excel, and setting them up for high-paying careers, but girls have been left behind for far too long,” the website stated. “That’s why College Board is honoring schools for expanding young women’s access to AP computer science classes and for the important steps they’re taking to reach gender parity.”

Recipients of the award come from a broad range of high schools, all across the country. From private schools, public schools, and charters schools, schools with large and small student bodies, from rural and urban populations, and specialized schools, as well as generalized programs- this award was given to a wide array of institutions all across America.

There are over 20,000 schools that offer AP courses, but Kelly Walsh was one of only 1,119 schools to officially be recognized.

“Kelly Walsh High School is the proud recipient of the College Boards’s Female Diversity Award for AP Computer Science Principles,” the high school wrote in a statement shared across social media. “While there are over 20,000 institutions across the world that offer AP courses, Kelly Walsh is one of a select few that has been recognized as expanding girls’ access to computer science courses. Kelly Walsh is dedicated to ensuring that everyone is prepared for their next step and ensuring gender parity in all fields of study and careers. There may be over 20,000 institutions that offer AP courses, but there’s only one Kelly Walsh.”