Title
To recognize and celebrate December 6 - 12, 2024 as Computer Science Education Week in Columbus, Ohio.
Body
WHEREAS, Computer Science Education Week is an annual call to action to inspire K - 12 Students to learn computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, partners, and general public; and
WHEREAS, Computer Science Education Week showcases the crucial role that computer science plays in transforming our society and how computer science enables innovation in all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines and creates economic opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Computer Science Education Week is celebrated each year during the week of Grace Hopper’s birthday (December 9, 1906), one of the first females in the field of computer science, who engineered new programming languages and pioneered standards for computer systems which laid the foundation for many advancements in computer science; and
WHEREAS, computing technology is an integral part of modern culture and is transforming how people interact with each other and the world around them, by transforming industry, creating new fields of commerce, driving innovation in all fields of science, and bolstering productivity in established economic sectors; and
WHEREAS, as Central Ohio is becoming the nation’s Silicon Heartland, it is imperative that our region invests heavily into educating and training our youth in computer science; and
WHEREAS, providing students the chance to participate in high-quality computer science activities, including through science scholarships, exposes them to the rich opportunities the field offers and provides critical thinking skills that will serve them throughout their lives; and
WHEREAS, all students deserve a thorough preparation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, including access to the qualified teachers, technology, and age-appropriate curriculum needed to learn computer science at the elementary and secondary levels of education; and
WHEREAS, the field of computer science has significant equity barriers to address, including improving access to computer science courses for all students, and providing professional development for computer science teachers, attracting more participation by females and underrepresented minorities to all levels and branches; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus encourages schools, teachers, researchers, universities, and policymakers to identify mechanisms for teachers to receive cutting edge professional development to provide sustainable learning experiences in computer science at all educational levels and encourage students to be exposed to computer science concepts and opportunities, and to support programs for females and underrepresented minorities in computer science; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby recognize and celebrate December 6 - 12, 2024 as Computer Science Education Week in Columbus, Ohio.