Celebrating Our Work: Launchpad Staff Earns Award

I am thrilled and honored to share that I have recently been awarded the CS4Philly 2024 Teacher Award for Early Career Achievement. This recognition is a testament to the incredible work we are doing at Launchpad Philly, and I am deeply grateful to be a part of such a unique and meaningful program.

As the High School Program Director for Launchpad, I have the privilege of working with some of the most talented and dedicated students in Philadelphia. Their passion for technology and eagerness to show up every day keeps me going. Launchpad builds accelerated pathways connecting high school students to high-paying tech careers, and I truly believe this award is a recognition of the unique potential of our work.

The CS4Philly Early Career Achievement Award recognizes outstanding contributions by educators who have made significant strides in the field of computer science education early in their careers. This award highlights individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and innovation in teaching computer science, particularly in expanding access to underrepresented groups. Recipients of the award are acknowledged for their ability to inspire students, develop effective curricula, and create inclusive learning environments. The award celebrates the impactful work of educators who are not only advancing computer science education but also contributing to the diversity and strength of the tech industry.

Prior to 2024, all of the winners of the awards taught in Philadelphia schools, with my recognition being the first time the organization has given the award to a non-profit employee who was not teaching in a traditional classroom. I was not sure how this would come across, however when I arrived at the awards dinner, I was happy to see many familiar faces in the room – as I work closely with lots of Philly CS teachers in my capacity as a recruiter for Launchpad. Many of the teachers in the room taught our students during the school day before sending them to Launchpad in the afternoon. The whole dinner had a very “we’re all on the same team” vibe which I really appreciated and emphasized our shared mission of expanding CS pathways for students across the city.

In my role as High School Program Director, I manage Launchpad’s recruitment efforts, build and maintain relationships with partner high schools, and support students as they move through the high school portions of our program. Since last July, I have been working closely with a group of talented 12th graders and recent high school graduates from across Philadelphia as they move through TechSmart’s CS201 and 202 course on programming fundamentals and Python.

I’ve spent about 200 hours of in-class instruction time (and a good 50 hours of office hour one on one support) working with students on Python to help prepare them for the PCEP-30 certification exam. The many hats I wear here at Launchpad definitely afforded me a slight advantage in the competition process for the awards. The folks at CS4Philly were looking for someone who played a meaningful role in both instructing CS but also expanding CS opportunities to underrepresented groups. Being able to discuss both my recruitment efforts and classroom experience in the application really helped me fully address some of the questions and goals of the award.

Looking ahead, I am excited to take this award into a second year of teaching Python! We’ll have twice as many students taking the TechSmart course next year, and we’ve hired a new full-time technology instructor – Sanaa Igbokwe – to teach one of the two sections. I’m glad that I will still have a big presence in the classroom, but am looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with another instructor to compare notes and ensure that the curriculum is landing well with our students.

Launchpad summer is kicking off July 1! We’ll have 60 Launchpad Foundations students four days a week as part of our C2L-PHL program. Foundations students will begin learning Python, move through a six-week goal setting and identity development course, and lastly design tech-based solutions to community problems. That’s right – Ignite is back! We have some super exciting revisions to the design process that I hope will make the pitches as final projects even better than last year. Just like last year, students will take the summer to come up with their ideas and then use the school year to actually build them. Save the date – August 8!

While Foundations students are moving through their summer experience, our Launchpad 101 (almost Liftoff) students will be doing summer internships with employer partners. Our internship partners include Seer Interactive, Accenture, Elevate 215, the City of Philadelphia Office of Reentry Services, PamPam, Bentley Systems, CreateAccess, Center for Hope, Building 21, FamFrequency Productions, Kensington Soccer Club, and Self Inc.

I invite you to join us this summer in our mission to empower the next generation of tech leaders. Whether by volunteering your time, supporting our programs, or simply spreading the word, your involvement can make a significant difference.

I am deeply grateful for this award and the support from our community. Together, we are making a meaningful impact and empowering the next generation of tech leaders. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.