Darren Ehrhardt is currently in his tenth year of teaching computer science at Central Islip High School on Long Island, NY. His journey to education began in 1999 as an adjunct math professor at New York Institute of Technology, and in 2003, he became a certified teacher after realizing his love of the classroom. As an Amazon Future Engineering Ambassador, Darren advocates for expanding computer science education in earlier grades and increasing opportunities for female and minority students in the field. In addition to his teaching role, Darren serves as the technical director at his school and is a senior class advisor. Outside of work, he is married with two children and enjoys golfing and Legos whenever time (and money) permits.
Teaching in an economically disadvantaged community, Darren believes in the power of tech to help kids break out of generational poverty. He’s dedicated to helping his students pursue high-quality educations and careers, using computer science as the springboard. As recently as 2016, Darren’s school had no CS coursework at all. He worked with the superintendent, board of education, and teachers’ union to bring five college credit–bearing CS courses to his school, including AP CSP, AP CS A, AP Cybersecurity, a robotics course, and a Carnegie Mellon University College Programming and Computer Science class, the first of its kind on Long Island and only the second in the entire state of New York. His efforts have borne fruit, with students achieving prestigious industry internships and acceptances to colleges like NYU, Duke, and Stonybrook University.
To further expand CS access, Darren lowered the grade requirement for his CS classes and opened his AP CSP class to freshmen. More than 80% of participating freshmen passed the AP exam in the first year, and more than three-quarters of them signed up to continue studying CS. With the support of the Amazon Future Engineering program, which provides free curriculum and support for Title 1 schools, Darren’s students have regularly been recognized for their high achievement. He tries to stay in touch with his students after they graduate, inviting them to become role models for the students who come after them. “I encourage my students to give back whenever they can,” he says, “and they show up every year to inspire their communities.”
Darren is always proud to see his students showing up for each other—and for themselves. He thinks of his classroom as community-building spaces and encourages his students to help each other succeed, to be role models for each other and their community. “The biggest lesson I try to teach my students,” he says, “is to never say no to themselves. Make someone else say it to you.” One student battled imposter syndrome while applying for the Gates Scholarship, questioning himself at every step of the application process. “I’m not going to get it,” he told Darren, “and it’s a lot of work.” But with Darren’s encouragement, he persisted in the application process and ended up receiving the scholarship. This student serves as a true example of the power of determination and hard work, and Darren loves seeing his social media posts encouraging other students to believe in themselves.
The power of community is crucial in Darren’s professional life, too. He maintains open dialogues with subject area teachers at his school, learning from them about potential students for his CS classes. He has presented at CSTA’s national and state conferences, and he works to advise other schools on how to elevate and advance their STEM programs. For his work in STEM education, Darren has been recognized by the College Board with the Female Diversity Award three times in the last five years. In 2022, he was named the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year for achievements in diversity and inclusion, and he has also been recognized with CSTA’s Regional Teaching Excellence Award for New York.
It’s the promise of collaboration and mutual learning in the IMPACT Fellowship program that appeals to Darren the most. He says, “My experience as an AFE Ambassador, engaging in a diverse community of educators supporting and challenging each other, has spurred me to look for more experiences to help me grow.” He’s certain that he’ll find those growth opportunities in his time as a fellow. Darren is the only CS teacher in his school, and built his school’s CS program from the ground up. The IMPACT Fellowship offers an opportunity to collaborate with other CS teachers and develop his skills at sharing tasks, rather than trying to do everything on his own.
In his time as an IMPACT Fellow, Darren is eager to advocate for the importance of CS role models who can speak to the experiences of underrepresented students like the ones he teaches. Having personally seen the impact of bringing back alumni to speak to his current students, he knows how vital that impact can be. He also hopes to learn new strategies to connect his students with scholarship opportunities. “I know how capable my students are,” he says. “They’re full of potential and passion for CS.”
Darren is excited to learn from his cohort about how best to help his students meet that potential. He says, “I know my fellow educators are dedicated to making an impact and making a difference in our students’ lives. I want to be a resource and receive resources from a collective group.”