Southside School District teacher Brian Luetschwager has received a grant for over $5,000 from the Arkansas Department of Education Division of Career and Technical Education (ADE) to recruit more female students to computer science classes, specifically focused on cybersecurity.
Luetschwager (pictured above with his students) said he looks to bring more females into these courses through interactive and demonstrative means come this spring. He said he hopes to break the stigma that computer sciences aren’t for females.
According to a release from the district, the grant will allow Luetschwager to offer two hands-on labs in the spring for female students in grades 7 through 12. These students will learn the basics of hardware and software and how they specifically relate to cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing fields in the country. The curriculum used at Southside High School for computer sciences is strictly focused on preparing students to pass certification exams needed for this field.
“This grant will allow multiple offerings into the cybersecurity courses for females at Southside,” he said.
Certification exams can cost north of $400, and through Career Technical Education pathway funding, Southside can pay the testing fees for those students.
“I hope every student has a chance to explore options in the computer sciences,” says Luetschwager. “The field of cybersecurity has such a high demand right now it is set up for students about to graduate to go right into the workforce and continue their education while they are working.”
Images and information provided by Southside School District
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