Zeeland Public Schools has been expanding its computer science (CS) programs, and students like Zeeland East senior Ashley Cramer are leading the way. Ashley has been a passionate advocate for computer science, inspiring students and pushing for more opportunities in the field. She has applied to both the University of Michigan and Grand Valley State University and is weighing her options for the future.
Her teacher, Zeeland East’s Steve Oele, reflected on Ashley’s impact: “Since Computer Science was reintroduced at ZPS three years ago, it has been exciting to see students like Ashley thrive in coding. Traditionally, programming has been a male-dominated field, so watching Ashley excel has been incredibly impressive. I hope more female students follow her lead and sign up for coding classes in the future.”
Ashley’s advocacy goes beyond the classroom. Last year, she joined Code.org’s Women Code Ambassadors program, where she championed legislation requiring all Michigan schools to offer computer science courses by the 2027-28 school year. She delivered live testimony before the Michigan House Education Committee in the spring and was invited to present before the Michigan Senate Education Committee in October. “The Code.org program reached out to Michigan ambassadors and asked if anyone was interested in giving live or written testimony. I responded and said I was interested, and they got back to me saying I could do it,” Ashley explained. Thanks to efforts like hers, a new law was passed ensuring computer science education for all Michigan students. Currently, only 50% of schools in the state offer computer science courses, a statistic Ashley hopes to change.
Ashley’s passion for technology started at a young age. “My parents got me my first computer when I was about eight because I was always interested in watching my dad play video games and figuring out how computers worked. I’d watch him and ask, ‘What does this key do?’ And then they got me a computer, and I just instantly fell in love with it,” she shared. “I used to make little games in Roblox Studio, and while I don’t want to go into game design, I loved the idea of creating something that others could interact with.” This early interest led her to take coding in 8th grade and Computer Science Principles in 10th grade, the first year the Code.org curriculum was offered at ZPS.
Ashley is currently taking “CS A Java” through Michigan Virtual online, as the course is not yet available in person at ZPS. She has also been an advocate for expanding ZPS’s CS offerings, and in the 2025-26 school year, students will be able to take CS Principles, AP CS Principles, and Video Game Design. “I was bummed that we didn’t have an AP class before, so I’m super excited that students will now have that opportunity. They can take the credit and apply it to college,” she said. “Computer science skills apply to English, math, and so many other areas. Being tech-savvy is an important skill for any job.”
Beyond the classroom, Ashley is heavily involved in robotics. “I’m the Scout Lead, so I do a lot of strategic and match strategies. That has made me interested in business ERP systems and purchasing software—using my strategic mindset, algorithms, and technical knowledge all mixed together into one big product.” She also works with elementary students who are interested in robotics, helping to introduce younger students to the world of technology and engineering.
Looking ahead, Ashley is considering multiple career paths. “I don’t know if I’ll end up in business ERP systems or AI because AI is going down that track too. It could be really anywhere, but I definitely want to use something where I have a strategic mindset. I also want to climb the corporate ladder because I want to see more female leadership.”
When discussing how artificial intelligence might influence the future of CS, Ashley said, “If anything, AI is going to make computer science even more crucial. People think it’s going to take jobs, but I think it’s going to make the field soar even more—it’s going to be more and more important.”
She also has a message for students hesitant about trying CS: “I feel like you should take every opportunity that’s given to you. Even if you’re only slightly interested, just take the class. I took a Woods Class last year just because I was curious, and I ended up loving it. You can find your passion just by exploring different opportunities.”
Ashley believes more girls should consider computer science, adding, “People think CS is just coding, but it’s so much more. You learn about how computers work, social media algorithms, and even how things get on your ‘For You’ page. There’s so much to explore beyond programming or making an app.”
The future looks bright for CS at ZPS, especially with the addition of a new esports and engineering space funded by the 2021 bond. “The new space will be amazing for our students,” teacher Steve Oele said. “Not only will it be visually impressive, but it will also provide students with a modern, hands-on learning experience like never before.”
Thanks to students like Ashley, the future of computer science at Zeeland Public Schools is full of possibilities. To read Ashley’s full testimony in Support of HB 5649, visit this link.