At Island Pacific Academy (IPA), student success is rooted in a strong foundation of dedicated, visionary educators. One of those educators is Dr. Devon Widmer, known to students as “Dr. D,” who has led the charge in expanding access to rigorous computer science courses at IPA. And now, her efforts have earned the school national recognition.
IPA was recently awarded the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award by the College Board, a distinction granted to only 253 schools nationwide. The award honors schools that are making strides in broadening female participation in AP Computer Science A, one of the most challenging college-level courses offered to high school students.
“It’s been a goal of mine to encourage all students at IPA with an interest in computer science to go for it and give the subject a chance,” said Dr. Widmer. “It’s always amazing to see how quickly they can pick up the basic skills and move on to creating unique projects.”
IPA senior student Mazzy McCloud ’25, who has taken two AP Computer Science courses (Principles and A), shared “When I took AP Computer Science as a sophomore, I was the youngest in the class – the only girl among four upperclassmen boys,” said Mazzy McCloud. “It honestly felt empowering, like I’m a woman in STEM.”
Mazzy went on to win multiple coding competitions, including the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Hawaiʻi’s Second Congressional District and the Game On! Video Game Design Competition, with Marlena Morgan ’25 and Sofia Stading ’25, in the 2025 STEMMY Competitions, where her team’s project, Rising Seas, won in the Advanced High School division.
While girls remain underrepresented in computer science nationwide, IPA’s classes have reflected greater diversity and inclusivity. This achievement signals that students at IPA feel supported and confident enough to take on complex subject and succeed.
And the honors don’t stop there. Earlier this year, IPA’s Computer Science Honor Society was also recognized for having one of the highest average service participation rates in the country. According to the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), IPA students averaged 45 hours of community service per member – placing them among the top chapters nationwide.
Congratulation to Dr. D and our student leaders in computer science! Their accomplishments are a powerful testament to the culture of excellence, equity, and innovation that defines the IPA experience.
