Today’s high school students cannot imagine life before computers, tablets, and cell phones, and now they are preparing to enter a job market where computer skills are a basic requirement for a rapidly increasing number of jobs. Thomas County School System students will now be able to take advantage of computer science courses to prepare them for the ever-changing world of technology.
Computer Science (CS) is the newest pathway offered in the PREP Academy at Thomas County Central High School. As a part of the Information Technology career cluster, the goal of this pathway is to prepare students with a strong foundation in computer science principles to prepare them for the Advanced Placement computer science exam. The three courses in this pathway include Introduction to Digital Technology, Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science.
“The introduction of computer programming completes our package of courses designed for students planning to pursue an engineering major in college,” said Thomas County School Superintendent Dr. Dusty Kornegay. “We offer highly successful AP Calculus, AP Chemistry and AP Physics classes along with robotics, and now computer programming, all courses that are needed to prepare students for the demanding coursework in engineering programs like Georgia Tech. We are proud to offer students the area’s leading pre-engineering prep program,” Kornegay said.
This new pathway will complement many of the other programs already offered at TCCHS including the Business program, which recently earned its Industry Certification, and the Robotics program, which has elements of programming embedded in its courses. Students will have access to a variety of organizations and competitions while taking courses in this pathway including Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and statewide robotics competitions.
“I am very excited about offering another opportunity for the students of Thomas County that will help prepare them for both college and career success,” said Beth Adams, director of career, technical and agricultural education. “Computer programming can open doors for students interested in a variety of careers that are currently in demand. Providing our students access to these skills while they are still in high school definitely gives them an edge as they make plans for their future.”
In addition to offering the first two courses in the pathway at TCCHS this year, the Introduction to Digital Technology course is also available to eighth graders who desire to learn more about programming while earning a high school credit at Thomas County Middle School.
“My goal is to introduce programming and computer science to young people in Thomas County because there are no computer programming courses available in this area,” said Patricia Beach, computer science teacher. “Not only are computer science and programming fun, computer science is a high growth career field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor predicts that IT jobs will be among the fastest-growing and highest paying over the next decade. These jobs typically offer higher salaries than other jobs requiring similar levels of education.”
Beach added, “Females and minorities are underrepresented in the field of Computer Science. Right now, four of the 20 top-paying jobs for women are in computing, a broad field in which only about one-quarter of workers is female.”
Computer Science counts toward graduation requirements in Georgia. Beginning in 2015-2016, Computer Science courses will meet the requirements for a fourth science, mathematics, or foreign language.
TCCHS Senior Jacob Hancock is taking the advanced class this year. “I’m looking forward to learning about website and app construction,” Hancock said.
Another senior, Guanghui Li, said, “Everything in the world now is about technology. I believe I will benefit greatly from what I learn through the course.”
Beach participated in the Computer Science Principles for High School (CSP4HS) work group this summer. This is a group of Computer Science educators who completed a six-week course, gathered for a three-day workshop, and will continue to meet online throughout the year. The course parallels the CS Principles professional development instruction of a National Science Foundation-sponsored project in collaboration between the University of Alabama and A+ College Ready, with external project assessment conducted by Haynie Research and Evaluation. The CSP4HS curriculum has been adopted from a CS Principles Pilot course that has been taught at the University of Alabama since 2011.