Laura Peters: Computer Science for Students of All Ages, Backgrounds and Abilities
The Cognizant Foundation and Teach For America are proud to recognize the inaugural winners of the Cognizant Innovation in Computer Science Education Awards—these awards identify PK-12 educators and leaders who have demonstrated measurable impact expanding access to and advocating for computer science education.
Below is a profile of award winner Laura Peters, 7th-12th grade computer science teacher and computer science/engineering department chair at Henderson K-12 Inclusion School in Boston, Massachusetts.
When Laura Peters arrived at the Henderson K-12 Inclusion School, the existing computer science classes did not attract students who represented the diversity of the school when it came to race, gender or disability status.
Since then, she has created curricula for the 7th, 8th and 9th-grade classes designed to be engaging, creative, rigorous and reflective of the cultural backgrounds of the students at Henderson.
As a Cognizant/TFA AP Computer Science Principles Fellow, Laura created the first AP Computer Science Principles class at her school. What she’s most proud of, however, is the impact the computer science courses have had on her students. For instance, she’ll often see students proudly displaying coding stickers on their laptops, or wearing their “binary bracelets” they made in class, which show their names in the form of binary code.
Laura works to provide equitable support to students of diverse backgrounds in building the necessary skills to be successful if they choose to pursue a career in computer science.
“Even if students don’t ever take a computer science course again, I hope that they leave with a sense of what’s possible when they persevere through problems and create work that is meaningful to them,” said Laura.
Laura wants Henderson to be proof that it’s not only possible, but also imperative to introduce students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to computer science. She also hopes that other teachers will reflect on their curricula and critique its ability to reach all students.
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Meet all of the winners
Learn more about the other educators and innovators recognized as the inaugural winners of the Cognizant Innovation in Computer Science Education Awards: