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Industry volunteers sought to help teach computer science
Hyland software developer Ariel Koiman helps a student at Lincoln-West School of Global Studies as a TEALS volunteer.
CMSD NEWS BUREAU
3/16/2018
Microsoft’s TEALS program needs about 40 technology professionals who are interested in volunteering to help teach computer science in CMSD high schools.
TEALS, which stands for Technology Education and Literacy in Schools, recruits industry professionals to work side by side with classroom teachers, preparing them to eventually handle introductory and Advanced Placement courses on their own. Funded by Microsoft Philanthropies, the nationwide initiative seeks to expand access to computer science for all students, including female, black and Latino students who are underrepresented in the field.
CMSD joined TEALS last year as part of the CS4CLE program, designed to make study in the high-demand field of computer science available in all of the District’s high schools. Fifteen schools have applied to participate in TEALS during the 2018-19 school year, including four that are receiving help this year.
The volunteers provide students with a real-world view of the computer science field. They are asked to help during first-period classes two mornings per week.
For more information, go here. Prospective volunteers can attend an information session from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28 at the MidTown Tech Hive, 6815 Euclid Ave., watch a recorded session here or email TEALS Regional Manager Jake Taylor at jake@tealsk12.org
Taylor hopes to have all applications in by April 15. To apply, go here.
TEALS was founded nine years ago and serves 348 schools in 29 states.
For now, the program is focusing its Ohio efforts on the Cleveland area. Volunteers are also needed for a dozen schools in other parts of Cuyahoga County.
According to the nonprofit code.org, Ohio has more than 15,000 vacant computing positions, jobs that pay an average of $83,959 in the state.
But only about 2,200 students took AP computer science exams last year. Of those students, 24 percent were female, 3.9 percent were black and 3.7 percent were Latino.
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