EA teachers are more than just educators – we are mentors, coaches, and problem solvers; we work closely with and advocate for our students; and we are ambassadors of a supportive community. All of this is what I love the most about my job, and it's why I always tell new faculty members, "You picked a place that can be your home."
This supportive culture starts at the top. I have never worked under a better leadership team than I have at EA. Our administrators give us the freedom to teach our classes how we want, and as creatively as we want. They trust us as educators, and this trust results in dynamic curricula and engaged students who learn for the joy of learning rather than the grade.
I first noticed this when I started at EA in 2018 as a teacher in the new Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E) academic department. EA leadership's prioritization of CS&E is evident – it's why we're the only school in the area who has both Middle and Upper School CS requirements, and why we have ever-expanding offerings of opportunities on campus ranging from competitive programming to using the newest drone, virtual reality, and 3D printing and fabrication technology.
I am proud of how much our department has grown. Today, 20% of Upper School students are in AP Computer Science, and 40% of those students are girls. We are actively working to close the gender gap in STEM and create a truly inclusive environment, because we believe that students of all backgrounds have the right to feel that there is a place for them in this field. I hope that this focus will someday translate into increasingly diverse leadership in technology, as this will only strengthen our world.
Though I have only been at EA for a few years, I can truly say that this school is a family. It's the reason why I chose to come here, and it's the reason why I hope to stay.