US Wins AP Computer Science Award

The upper school’s STEM program is thriving, with more young women now involved in the program than in its history. The AP recently recognized this diversity with the presentation of the College Board’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for the school’s program. 

“The recognition is great, it’s based on the number of students who took AP exams last year. More than 50 percent were women,” said computer science teacher Richard Soviero. 

Benjamin was one of only 832 schools across the country to be recognized for this achievement in the ‘21-’22 school year.

Soviero said the school continues to work on increasing gender diversity in its programs, including the development of a Girls Who Code club at the upper school. 

“We are trying to arrange ways to get the girls down to the middle school and inspire some of our younger students,” he said. 

These students are taking their free time and helping with the coding classes and programs in the middle school science department. They serve as a companion to the school’s Coding Club, of which five members are young women. 

“The AP recognition is a great honor,” said upper school engineering teacher Debra Perretta who mentors many of the robotics and computer science students. 

“The girls definitely showed determination and grit in taking the exam. They are the ones to be recognized for not giving up,” she said.