CSEdWeek Spotlight Series: Cherry Gennings, WeTeach_CS Teacher

The WeTeach_CS program at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) educates, empowers, and inspires K-12 educators and advocates to realize the vision of computer science (CS) for all.

Cherry Gennings teaches Computer Science (CS) and Mathematics at Queen City High School in Queen City, Texas, a small community near the Texas-Arkansas border.

We caught up with Gennings to hear about her experiences with WeTeach_CS, the program’s impact, and the importance of teaching CS in schools.

EPIC/TACC: What inspired you to teach computer science?

Cherry Gennings: My favorite high school teacher taught math and computer science. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up because she had such an infectious joy about teaching. In 2020, I started as a math teacher at Queen City High School and we added Computer Science I for the 2022-2023 school year. This year, we added Computer Science II. I also started a University Interscholastic League (UIL) Computer Science team to give students the opportunity to try coding before going to college or trade school. Last year, our team placed first in the district with a team of novice programmers. Seeing the pride on their faces when they won is one of my favorite experiences as a CS teacher.

EPIC/TACC: Do you have a main takeaway from your experiences with WeTeach_CS?

Cherry Gennings: I have adopted the WeTeach_CS program’s purpose as my own. After working from home in business intelligence technology for many years, I wanted to give back to my alma mater and to my community. My goal is to educate, empower, and inspire students to see that everyone can benefit from taking a STEM/CS course. When I started at Queen City in 2020, we offered no CS classes; it’s 2023, and we now offer two. That’s progress.

EPIC/TACC: What advice would you give a teacher new to teaching computer science/STEM?

Cherry Gennings: Practice truly does make perfect. Whatever curriculum you choose to use, complete every problem you assign your students. Be willing to investigate topics in front of your students, even if you don’t know the answers. My classroom has become a team environment by working together to solve problems. Also, connect with other teachers by going to conferences like the WeTeach_CS Summit or UIL meets. Feedback from other educators helped me select appropriate curriculum for my CS class and streamlined my prep time for the course.

EPIC/TACC: Why should teachers consider WeTeach_CS as a program and philosophy?

Cherry Gennings: I had been trying to study for the certification exam but didn’t feel confident about passing until joining the WeTeach_CS Rural Collaboration cohort. The staff and instructors are so helpful and always available to answer questions because they care about your success. The curriculum is spot-on in preparing teachers for the certification exam, and the stipend for passing is a nice bonus. WeTeach_CS also provides instruction on topics like block programming with Scratch, Python, and physical computing.

EPIC/TACC: Thank you for your time and contributions to teaching CS and STEM, Ms. Gennings.