This fall, 20 high schools in Georgia will launch Computer Science Honor Society chapters (CSHS) thanks to the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing (Constellations) and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA).
Constellations will assist schools by providing first-year funding for new chapters starting in the 2021-22 academic year. The funds will be directed toward initial fees to start a CSHS chapter for up to 20 students in each school for a maximum of $300 per school.
Announced in March at the CS4GA Summit, schools had to meet several criteria to be eligible for assistance, including a commitment to recruiting at least 50 percent female students into a new CSHS chapter. Schools must also serve a majority of underrepresented students and/or serve a majority of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch.
Members of the new CSHS chapters will be required to complete 10 service hours, with five being dedicated to service projects related to computer science. Members will also select one or more computer science-related projects each academic year that fulfill a need within their school or community.
The introduction of CSHS is a new step in Constellations’ mission to ensure that all students – especially students of color, women, and others underserved in K-12 and post-secondary institutions – have access to quality computer science education.
Since 2017, Constellations has partnered with Georgia high schools in the Atlanta Public School district to introduce advanced placement computer science courses in addition to professional development opportunities for educators. The addition of these honors societies will expand Constellations’ impact into more rural and suburban school districts.
The schools supported by this effort are:
- Hiram High School
- Maynard Jackson High School
- Forest Park High School
- Lovejoy High School
- Grayson High School
- Frederick Douglass High School
- Barrow Arts and Science Academy
- Tiff County High School
- North Springs High School
- Woodland High School
- Rome High School
- Meadowcreek High School
- Stockbridge High School
- Sandy Creek High School
- Grady High School (Midtown High School as of June 1, 2021)
- Drew Charter School
- North Atlanta High School
- Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy
- Mays High School
- South Atlanta High School
