Two Sweetwater High School graduates were recently invited to the White House for the Computer Science for All Summit. Karla Gonzalez and Adrian Avalos both class of 2016 and students of Computer Science teacher Art Lopez were requested by Ruthe Farmer of the White House Office and Science Technology Policy to present and participate in four distinct events during the White House on Computer Science For All.

Many high level government officials from the White House, Department of Education, the NSF, including Megan Smith, Chief Technology Officer of the White House, Dr. Edward Felten, Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the White House, Ruthe Farmer, Inclusion Officer of the White House, Jan Cuny, Director of Computer Science Education, NSF, Melissa Moritz of the U.S. Department of Education, Lien Diaz, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, College Board, industry tech leaders such as Google, Microsoft, Code.org, and many members of higher education institutions were in attendance.

“Computer Science and Computational Thinking have empowered Karla and Adrian to change the world,” said Lopez. “We are leaders on the national landscape in regards to the Computer Science Education community. With the continuing support of the entire Sweetwater District students will continue to be on the national forefront.”

Adrian Avalos spoke on a four person panel in regards to Computer Science Education and its impact on high school students, and Karla Gonzalez, Adrian, and Lopez represented the model school for the new AP Computer Science Principles course for the College Board.

According to Lopez, Karla and Adrian were phenomenal and impressive, and truly are representative of the very best qualities that the Sweetwater District aspires children to have. As Dr. Janney (superintendent of the SUHSD) has stated, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!”, and this has proven true with the quality of education that we have provided for both Karla and Adrian!

The Sweetwater District was the only district in the nation to be selected to attend and present at the summit. Adrian spoke on behalf of for the high school student on the impact of Computer Science education on high school students.. Adrian and the rest of the panel were on stage in the White House Press Room auditorium, live streaming to a global and national audience. Lopez said Adrian was eloquent and impressive in his answers and commentary to questions posed by the moderator.

Due to the work of Lopez and his students, the Sweetwater District was selected by the College Board (over 21,000 schools opened with an AP CSP course this year, the largest ever for a first-time AP course) as the representative of the exemplary role model AP CSP school.

In addition to speaking on the panel, Lopez and the students were invited to a special evening tour of the White House West Wing conducted personally by Dr. Edward Felten, Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the White House.

“This was a once in a life time experience, as we toured the Situation Room, the Oval Office, the Rose Garden, and the White House Press Room. It was truly amazing!” said Lopez.

Read more about Sweetwater High School’s Computer Science from KQED News and US News & World Report

How to Start and Build an Inclusive Computer Science Program.(September 28, 2016) KQED News: Mind/Shift: Deborah Kris. Online article on the Computer Science Program at Sweetwater High School and the Sweetwater Union High School District.

AP Computer Science Principles Course Aims to Attract More Students to the Field. (August 31, 2016) US News & World Report. Online article on the College Board’s new offering focuses on expanding access as more jobs require computing knowledge which includes Sweetwater High School and the Sweetwater Union High School District.