600 And Counting

Eybar Vasquez-Nevarez does not seek the spotlight.

A first-generation American of Mexican heritage who was born and raised along the Southern border of Texas, the computer science (CS) teacher prefers small-town life to the hustle of the big city. "Mr. Vasquez," as he's known around school, playfully banters back and forth between English and Spanish. Such interactions are common in border towns, especially among familiar company.

Vasquez, a native Spanish speaker who learned English through bilingual classes in elementary school and PBS Kids, admits he had reservations about becoming a CS teacher but could not ignore the needs of the students and the opportunities that CS careers present.

"Being Hispanic, I knew CS was a field that our students needed to be exposed to. Bringing CS studies to students who may not otherwise have an opportunity to learn them makes me proud."

"After the founder of Clint's CS program departed for a different opportunity, I felt I had to step up. Being Hispanic, I knew CS was a field that our students needed to be exposed to," Vasquez said. "Bringing CS studies to students who may not otherwise have an opportunity to learn them makes me proud."

Vasquez started at Clint ISD Early College Academy, a school in a small town outside of El Paso, as an AP human geography teacher, where he would encounter topics like machine learning. Eventually, he signed up to study programming at the Microsoft Academy at The University of Texas at El Paso and joined the Microsoft TEALS Program. After two years of teaching geography, Vasquez made the switch to CS.

In July 2022, Vasquez passed the certification exam, making him the 600th Texas teacher to earn a CS teaching certification with the help of The University of Texas at Austin's (UT Austin) WeTeach_CS team. To help prepare for the exam, Vasquez completed the WeTeach_CS online Foundations of Computer Science for Teachers course, which covers all competencies measured in the Texas Examination of Educator Standards for Grades 8-12 CS. He now teaches Advanced Placement CS A, Advanced Placement CS Principles, and CS I to his 9-12 grade students.

"WeTeach_CS courses not only teach subject concepts but also provide scenarios where students may struggle and ways you can help them," Vasquez said. "WeTeach_CS can help any teacher, and you don't need a STEM background to utilize the curricula and tools."

Vasquez agrees with sentiments expressed by TEALS manager Blanca Gonzales, who was discouraged from studying CS because she "wasn't the type of student who should bother." Like Gonzales, Vasquez has seen students of color be discouraged from pursuing CS careers.

"I tell my students, ‘If I can learn CS, so can you. We're the same,'" Vasquez said. "No student should be discouraged from pursuing CS based on race or gender."

Clint Principal Holly Garza lauds the "indescribable" positive effect Vasquez has on his students. Garza helped write the grant that opened the school in 2011 and says her school's goal is to prepare students for career paths. She views Vasquez as a vital part of the mission.

"I'm so excited to see Mr. Vasquez being recognized for the great teacher he truly is, and I'm proud of him for stepping up and bringing CS education to our students," Garza said. "CS is a growing industry, and we have an obligation to ensure that all students have an opportunity to get into these fields."

Sixty-one percent of the school's 330 students are first-generation college attendees. Clint offers a dual-track education in partnership with El Paso Community College, where students can graduate with both a high school and associates degree after four years of secondary education.

"Research shows that rural districts are less likely to offer CS courses than urban and suburban districts, so having a teacher like Eybar bring CS courses to students in Clint ISD is fantastic!"

Vasquez's story is the latest step on the road to creating equity in CS, said Carol Fletcher, director of Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC) at UT Austin's Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC).

"We're thrilled to have Eybar as part of the WeTeach_CS family and are honored to be part of his journey to becoming a CS teacher," Fletcher said. "Research shows that rural districts are less likely to offer CS courses than urban and suburban districts, so having a teacher like Eybar bring CS courses to students in Clint ISD is fantastic!"

WeTeach_CS partners with 13 states offering professional development courses and workshops. Fletcher wants to expand that number to all 50 states.

"With the support of organizations like the U.S. Department of Education, Microsoft, Beyond100k, and the Siegel Family Endowment, WeTeach_CS created the Certification Incentive Program (CIP), which provides a $1,000 stipend to any Texas educator who earns a CS teaching certification," Fletcher said. "This stipend represents a small ‘thank you' to the educators bringing CS to a diverse range of students. This is the kind of investment we would like to see more partners make so we can support teachers like Mr. Vasquez."

In Texas, just 46% of high schools offered one or more CS courses during the 2020-2021 school year, and the average of young women in CS courses is just 27%. Limited exposure to CS for young women contributes to underrepresentation in the workforce. In the U.S., just 27% of all computing jobs are held by women.

To combat this, WeTeach_CS launched the Accelerating Women's Success and Mastery ("AWSM") in Computer Science Honor Roll, which recognizes schools where young women make up at least 50% of CS course enrollment. In addition to being named to the AWSM Honor Roll, Clint also earned the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in both AP CSA and AP CSP.

For his part, Vasquez is thankful for WeTeach_CS and encourages prospective CS teachers to peruse the catalog of curriculum and professional development tools.

"As a full-time teacher and parent, having the resources of WeTeach_CS allowed me to study at my own pace and feel confident that I was ready to take the CS certification exam," Vasquez said. "I'm proud to be the 600th CS teacher to earn their certification with the help of WeTeach_CS, and I want to thank them for the opportunities they provide."