Opening Doors Through Computer Science

Every time I open the door to my classroom at Guilford Preparatory Academy, a K-8, Title 1, public charter school in Greensboro, North Carolina, I am walking into more than a technology lab. I am walking into a space where dreams begin, where code becomes confidence, and where students of all ages and backgrounds start to see themselves as future creators, leaders, and innovators.

This year, something powerful happened. We introduced LEGO into our computer science curriculum. You could feel the shift. Students lit up when they built robots that responded to their code. They tested ideas, made adjustments, and worked through problems like real engineers. They were proud of what they created. I was proud of how they never gave up. These were not just computer science lessons. These were moments of growth, joy, and power.

We also launched our first year of drone programming. Our students learned to fly drones using coded commands and explored real-world applications of flight technology. We built robots that would not work without code. We stepped into virtual reality. Every project gave students another path to see how computer science is alive, exciting, and built for them.

This year, I was named a winner of the CSTA CS Teaching Excellence Award. This honor recognizes K through 12 computer science educators whose commitment and leadership have shaped the future of CS education and technology. It is awarded to teachers who increase engagement among underserved students, encourage pathways to careers in computer science, and bring rigorous, standards-aligned instruction into the classroom.

Receiving this award was not just a personal milestone. It was a celebration of my students, my school, and every community that believes computer science should be for everyone. This award confirmed what I have always known. When students are given access to high-quality instruction and teachers who see their full potential, they do more than succeed. They lead.

I am thankful to CSTA and the Infosys Foundation USA for amplifying the stories of educators who are using computer science to transform classrooms and communities. Their support makes it possible for teachers like me to share how this work creates real change in underrepresented schools and communities.

At Guilford Preparatory Academy, we are champions. Our students bring home trophies in basketball, volleyball, track, cheerleading, and more, because excellence is not limited to one lane. But their real victories are happening every day in the classroom, in their projects, in their curiosity, and in their willingness to try again. Our staff, our Board of Directors, our families, and our PTA stand behind them with strength. We build more than scholars. We build leaders.

When our students leave us after eighth grade, many enter high school programs where they earn their high school diplomas and graduate their senior year with their associate degrees. They leave high school with a powerful head start.

I have the honor and privilege of teaching computer science. But my work does not end there. I also lead Girls Who Code and mentor Guilford Girls. These programs are spaces for discovery. I have seen students find their voices, share their ideas, and learn how to collaborate with courage. I make sure every student knows that they belong in tech, not someday, but right now.

As a mother of four sons, I carry that same fire into how I teach the young men in my classroom. I see their drive, their curiosity, and their leadership. I challenge them to think deeply, to solve problems with focus, and to walk with confidence. They do not need to grow into greatness. It is already in them. I remind them of that every chance I get.

I believe I cannot empower my students if I do not first empower myself. That is why I keep learning right alongside them. I lean deeply into the CSTA standards to guide my instruction, and I stay connected to the community of educators who help me grow. Whether I am leading professional development for teachers across the state of North Carolina for Code.org or guiding a second grader through their first algorithm, I carry the same mindset. I am a learner first, always growing in service of my students.

Along the way, I have had the opportunity to serve in roles that help me bring more into my classroom. I am an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher Ambassador, a Common Sense Ambassador, an Everfi Champion, an Apple Certified Educator, a Google Certified Educator, and a proud North Carolina Teaching Fellow. I also serve as a 2025 North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Learning Happens Here Teacher Ambassador and a 2025 to 2026 EdSurge Voices of Change Writing Fellow. Each of these roles allows me to bring new ideas, tools, and energy into my classroom, while showing my students what it means to keep learning with purpose.

These roles are not about recognition. They are about responsibility. Every lesson I teach, every strategy I model, every innovation I try is shaped by the belief that our students deserve the very best of what computer science can offer. I grow so they can grow. I reach so they can rise.

And behind it all is CSTA. The Computer Science Teachers Association is not just a support network. It is a movement. It offers the tools, standards, and community I lean on to stay grounded and keep moving forward. Through CSTA, I am never alone in this work.

My goal is not to create coders. My goal is to unlock doors. I want every student to leave my classroom better than I found them, carrying a hunger for computer science and a belief that they belong in every space their mind can imagine. I want them to speak with confidence, build with care, and never doubt that they are already enough.

This year, my students reminded me that computer science is not about screens. It is about possibilities. This is what a computer science champion looks like. This is not about coding apps. This is about coding courage, identity, and access for every student, in every school, starting right now. This is how we change a generation. This is how we change the world.