Kanawha County Schools Announces Computer Science Course Partnership with Amazon and Edhesive
Kanawha County Schools is pleased to announce that it has been selected as an Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) district - a partnership between Amazon and Edhesive to improve access to computer science education in communities currently underrepresented in the technology field.
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, by 2020 there will be 1.4 million computer-science-related jobs available and only 400,000 computer science graduates with the skills to apply for those jobs. Many students eager to fill that gap and obtain a high paying job in technology do not have access to computer science in their high schools. Often schools want to offer these courses to their students but do not have access to curriculum and/or teacher support materials.
Amazon and Edhesive are partnering to address this gap by sponsoring teachers and administrators who demonstrate this need and are committed to bringing computer science to their school with access to content such as: Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles, or AP Computer Science A courses. This content also includes access to support forums for both students and educators new to learning or teaching computer science. Interested schools can learn more at www.amazonfutureegineer.com, including how students can access college scholarships and internships at Amazon.
Leah Sparks, Executive Director of Technology for Kanawha County Schools, said the following about the partnership: “We are excited about this opportunity for our students to have increased access to computer science courses through these nationally-known organizations. Kanawha County Schools students who choose to participate will be introduced to or propelled forward within this important field, all while reinforcing our mission of providing a world-class education system that that ensures all students are college or career ready for today and beyond.”
All 8 high schools and CTE schools will have the ability to participate. The first group of Kanawha County Schools teachers will go through professional development over the summer and new courses will begin as early as Fall 2019. Many students are already taking computer science courses, but this program will allow for expanded course options and for teachers to receive in-depth professional development, at no cost to the district.
More information on the Amazon Future Engineer program is available at: https://edhesive.com/amazon.