Hyde Park teacher Charity Freeman received an Equity Fellowship from the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) on September 18. 

Freeman and nine other teachers make up the inaugural cohort of fellows. The fellowship provides support and funding for each of the fellows to undertake a project “to promote equity in CS education.” 

CSTA brings together K–12 computer science educators by providing classroom resources, curriculum outlines, and by hosting an annual national conference. Individual chapters host smaller events for local members throughout the year. 

Freeman teaches computer science at Kenwood Academy, a public high and middle school in Hyde Park/Kenwood. Along with teaching six computer science classes, Freeman also leads the school’s Girls Who Code Club, which supports female students in seventh through 12th grades by teaching them how to code and helping them develop their own projects. 

After graduating with a B.S. in small business management, Freeman worked as a career advisor at a Chicago Public School. She then taught business technology before transitioning to computer science education.  

Freeman is also a 2019–20 Teach Plus Illinois K–12 Teaching Policy Fellow.