Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) educator and Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Instructional Specialist Laura Gray has been awarded the 2023 Regional Affiliate Educator Award by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). This year, 109 educators from 43 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Canada were honored.
Each year, U.S. educators (formal or informal), counselors, administrators, mentors, or other influencers who support the computing-related passions of students in grades 9-12 are eligible to receive recognition for their efforts to promote gender equity in computing. This year, the awards include three National Educator Award Winners, 64 Affiliate Award Winners, and 42 Affiliate Award Honorable Mentions selected from more than 130 talented and enterprising applicants.
Sallie Holloway, director of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, was delighted by the announcement. “Laura Gray is a leader for computer science education in Gwinnett and across the country. A former computing professional and computer science teacher, Laura now serves as our district Instructional Specialist for AI and Computer Science where she works to create high-quality and inclusive computer science learning experiences for all students in GCPS. She is a model computer science educator and advocate, and we are lucky to have her on our team,” she says.
The NCWIT is a non-profit community that convenes, equips, and unites organizations to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. This award recognizes teachers who distinguish themselves by teaching, encouraging, and supporting women in the Information Technology field.
Gray was honored for her achievements by the Gwinnett County Board of Education during its regular monthly meeting in April. “I am honored to receive this award, especially because it recognizes the achievements of GCPS students. Winning this award opens opportunities to network and collaborate with advocates who support diversity and inclusion in technology education. As an Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Instructional Specialist for GCPS, I can use this opportunity for growth to help enhance our CS4All (Computer Science for All) program across the district. I hope that underrepresented students in CS education see this award as recognition for their willingness to take on challenges, ability to learn from mistakes, and courage to pursue their passions. It is really an award recognizing the work of our students, which means the most to me,” she says.
For more information on the NCWIT Educator Award, click here. To view the 2023 Regional Award recipients, please click this link to view the complete list. Please click this link to learn more about the 2023 Honorable Mentions.