36 [Topic] One Voice in CS - Empowering CS

36 [Topic] One Voice in CS - Empowering CS

In this episode of One Voice in CS, host Shawn Patrick Higgins sits down with three CSTA equity fellows — Michelle, Leah, and Coach Hicks — to discuss their collaboratively built course, Empowering CS for New Teachers. All three came to CS teaching without a CS background, each receiving their own version of "the phone call" that landed them in a classroom they hadn't planned for. Drawing on those lived experiences, they designed the course to address the most common pain points for new CS teachers: navigating available curriculum, combating isolation, building a professional network, and overcoming imposter syndrome. The conversation moves beyond logistics into something deeper — all three reflect on how their most effective teaching moments came not from mastering content, but from prioritizing relationships, creating safe and structured environments, and connecting students to real-world relevance. The episode closes with a resonant shared message: every teacher is a CS teacher, and no one has to figure it out alone.

35 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Allison Braley

In this episode of One Voice in CS, host Julie York speaks with Allison Braley, Computer Science Specialist at the Maine Department of Education and former middle school CS teacher. Allison shares how her classroom experiences, from rethinking the importance of HTML to witnessing a struggling student thrive through coding, shaped a philosophy centered on computational thinking, failure recovery, and equitable access over programming expertise. She discusses the unique collaboration happening in Maine between CS and AI education, the challenge of supporting K–8 generalist teachers who feel unqualified to teach CS, and why getting students , especially girls and special education students, into computer science early is the most powerful equity tool available.

34 [Topic] One Voice in CS- Flash PD- Live from CAL-MSCS Models of Practice Summit

Recorded live at the CAL-MSCS Models of Practice Summit in beautiful Monterey, CA, this episode features candid interviews with educators and leaders across California who are helping to reimagine and expand access to computer science. Hear from classroom teachers Garrett Lloyd, Aimee Lee, and Justin Jimenez as they share their growth as CS beginners and what they’re eager to bring back to their students. Principal Kip Glazer offers powerful insight on resilience, purpose, and leading with heart. Steering committee members and statewide CS champions Rudy Escobar, Lilibeth Mora, Doug Henderson, and Shaina Glass discuss identity, access, and collaboration across diverse communities. From entry points to equity, from resources to real talk—this episode captures the collective momentum toward ensuring CS is for all.

33 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Evan Shieh

Host Shawn Patrick Higgins edits the interview between Justine Chavez-Crespin and Evan Shieh, Executive Director of the Young Data Scientist League, whose work centers on data justice and critical AI literacy. Evan shares how his organization's Data Is Power program puts students from underrepresented communities in the driver's seat on AI ethics — analyzing bias in language models, studying unequal tech access, and presenting findings at international conferences. He reflects on his own path into CS, from feeling like an outsider in college to building machine learning models during ACL rehab, and makes the case that the most important skills in the AI era aren't advanced math or coding — they're curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, and the ability to connect technical work to real human communities.

32 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Dr Cynthia Breazeal

Inspired by R2-D2 at age 10, Dr. Cynthia Breazeal went on to create Kismet—the world's first social robot—and pioneer the field of social robotics at MIT. Now, she's on a mission to democratize AI literacy for every student and teacher, not just computer science majors. Through MIT's RAISE initiative, Dr. Breazeal has developed hundreds of hours of free, open-source curriculum reaching over 170 countries. Her philosophy? AI isn't about replacing humans—it's about empowering them. From kindergarteners to high schoolers, students need to understand how AI works, think critically about its impact, and use it as a tool for "computational action"—making things that make a difference in their communities. As the U.S. prepares for its 250th anniversary, Dr. Breazeal is launching Day of AI USA, aiming to train 20,000 teachers and reach one million students. Her message is clear: in the age of AI, human creativity, empathy, wisdom, and collaboration matter more than ever. Students still need to learn to code, think critically, and work together—because AI is a powerful tool, but it's humans who shape the future.