As we emerge from the fog of the last 18 months, we’ll each come away with our own learnings. While some will be unique to our individual pandemic experiences, others are commonly shared. Among those which are widely acknowledged is the need for greater recognition of our teachers and the importance of technology education.
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As we emerge from the fog of the last 18 months, we’ll each come away with our own learnings. While some will be unique to our individual pandemic experiences, others are commonly shared. Among those which are widely acknowledged is the need for greater recognition of our teachers and the importance of technology education. At the crux of both of these issues are computer science (CS) teachers, who work tirelessly to ensure that their students are prepared with the skills and the mindsets needed to succeed in a technology-first world.
The Infosys Foundation USA and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) have always supported computer science educators, and together we recognize leading professionals annually through the CS Teaching Excellence Awards. These awards honor outstanding computer science teachers who go above and beyond to broaden participation and increase engagement in their courses, particularly amongst those students who are traditionally underrepresented in these subjects.
We are proud to share that this year, we’ve expanded the awards so that we can celebrate even more computer science educators. Given the incredible growth of the technology sector, it was critical that we too grew our awards to commend the education professionals who make computer science approachable and help guide students into the technology fields. We’ve doubled the number of national winners – recognizing ten awardees in addition to five honorable mentions. We’ve also created a new regional awards category, recognizing 15 educators across five CSTA chapters for the work they are doing to promote computer science education in their communities locally.
Congratulations to our ten national winners – Barbara Teterycz, Bernadette Manning, Jeremy Schwartz, Kathleen Effner, Kyle Pierre, Mary Ann Cassidy Hayes, Monika Moorman, Regina Nadbielny, Sonia Sprindt, and Tamieka Grizzle, as well as our honorable mentions – Amy Wright, Diniah Dean, Heather Wright, Jen Manly, and Michele Cislo, and our regional awardees.
Thank you for the work you are doing to expand CS education and to inspire your students!
About Infosys Foundation USA
Infosys Foundation USA was established in 2015 with the mission of expanding computer science and maker education to K-12 students and teachers across the United States, with a specific focus on increasing access to underrepresented communities. The Foundation achieves impact through delivering professional development programs for teachers, partnering with leading nonprofits, and delivering innovative media campaigns that inspire everyone to be creators, not just consumers, of technology. For more information, visit infosys.org/USA.
About CSTA
CSTA’s mission is to empower, engage and advocate for K-12 computer science teachers worldwide. CSTA is a membership organization that supports and promotes the teaching of computer science and other computing disciplines. For more information, visit csteachers.org.