Vestavia Hills City Schools

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. — Vestavia Hills High School has been honored with the 2024 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award by the College Board, joining an elite group of schools nationwide recognized for expanding young women’s access to computer science education. 

The award recognizes schools whose AP Computer Science enrollment is at least 50 percent female, or equivalent to or greater than the percentage of the school’s student body that is female. Vestavia Hills High School is one of only 847 institutions nationwide to receive this distinction for its AP Computer Science Principles program during the 2023-24 academic year.

“We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition, as it reflects Vestavia Hills High School’s commitment to creating opportunities for all students to excel in high demand fields and areas of personal interest. Encouraging young women to engage in computer science is not only about representation; it is about preparing them to lead and innovate in a rapidly evolving world while fueling their individual passions in STEM related fields,” Vestavia Hills High School principal Blair Inabinet, Ed.D., said today.

The achievement holds particular significance as demand for computer science skills continues to grow across Alabama and the nation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women represent only 26 percent of the computing workforce, despite computing occupations being among fastest-growing sectors of the economy.

According to data from the College Board, female students who take AP Computer Science Principles are more than five times as likely to major in computer science in college. The course also serves as a foundation for advanced AP STEM coursework. By encouraging excellence in computer science education, Vestavia Hills High School is helping ensure students are well-prepared for these opportunities.