INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT, GIRLS WHO CODE, SUPPLIES VIRTUAL “SUMMER IMMERSION PROGRAM” RESULTING IN ENOURMOUS SUCCESS IN BLACK, LATINX, AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the international non-profit Girls Who Code supplied virtual coding programs which had enormous successes in black, latinx, and low-income communities.
September 28, 2020 (NEW YORK CITY, NY) – Girls Who Code is a leader in closing the gender gap in technology, has released its data from its first ever virtual coding summer program. The virtual Summer Immersive Program served over 5,000 girls from around the world, including the United States, Canada, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, and the UK. The coding program saw strong outcomes for Black, Latinx, and low-income students who are traditionally left behind in virtual learning and the overall program was as effective as the previous years’ in-person courses.
Although there were doubts on the outreach and outcomes Girls Who Code could obtain without in-person programs, data from the virtual summer program found that:
- Girls who participated in the virtual program were equally as likely to be interested in pursuing a career in technology as those students who participate in the in-person programming courses.
- Black, Latinx, and low-income students who participated in the virtual program were just as likely to be interested in following a career in technology and continuing computer science education as those who partook in year’s past in-person programming courses.
- Early signs indicate that the graduates from the virtual program are on track to go on to obtain majors in Computer Science or related fields fifteen times the national average.
“Girls Who Code transformed our in-person summer coding programs to a virtual offering in a matter of weeks, making it our highest priority to serve the most vulnerable girls – the same girls who were impacted the most by school closures in the spring” said Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code. “We choose to embrace virtual education not as a temporary means to an end – but as though it’s here to stay. And we’re thrilled to report that it worked. This is a win for our girls, for virtual education, for our country.”
The virtual Summer Immersion Program stretched over two-weeks and took into account into account issues of accessibility facing the hardest-to-reach girls, such as issues with internet connections, hardware, and living conditions. The program’s success relied on digital learning best practices including shorter days, a mix of live and asynchronous instruction, small group work and project-based learning, and available office hours. In the revamped virtual delivery model, the girls learned skills in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and others. The two-week program also allowed the students to participate in virtual engagements, including video chats with experienced women in technology-based careers and virtual resume building workshops. The Summer Immersion Program is also joined by Girls Who Code at Home and Girls Who Code Talks, two other programs designed to support girls and women throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Girls Who Code Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dr. Tarika Barret illustrated the importance for the Summer Program to be transformed for the benefit of Black, Latinx, or low-income girls, who made up a majority of attendees. “They are caregivers, babysitters, and in some cases, working hourly as essential employees at local grocery stores or hospitals to keep up the household income.” Dr. Barret continued, “We adapted for them. We completely redesigned and redeployed our program, while keeping in mind the realities of accessibility of the communities that Girls Who Code serve.”
The program allows girls to enter into a field where they might’ve thought there was no potential for them or that they did not belong. For Girls Who Code, the most important message they want to get across to girls and young women is that they belong in this industry. Girls Who Code is focusing on the end goal of closing the gender gap in the technology sector through focusing on bravery, sisterhood, and activism.
Girls Who Code is an international non-profit that uses programs and courses to educate girls and young women about the technology sector. By valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion essential to their overall mission of closing the gender gap in computing. Using various programs, such as Clubs, College Loops, and Summer Immersion Programs. Girls Who Code are based in New York City and have served over 300 thousand girls through in-person programs and 500 million girls in the United States and abroad virtually.
Reshma Saujani (Founder and CEO, Girls Who Code)
Dr. Tarika Barrett (Chief Operating Officer)
Email: press@girlswhocode.com Website: girlswhocode.com