2024 was a year defined by change. The rise of artificial intelligence marked a pivotal moment in the trajectory of the tech industry, unlocking new opportunities and reshaping career paths. At Girls Who Code, we embraced this dynamic landscape as an opportunity to serve as a force for good for our students, doubling down on our core value of sisterhood. We stepped up to ensure our students would not just adapt to these changes, but would help lead them.
We launched the Cyber Education Alliance, leading a coalition of 21 organizations committed to safeguarding kids and students online. Our #GetCyberSmart initiative became a rallying point for digital safety, providing thousands of K-12 students, parents, and educators with interactive games, lesson plans, videos, and career exploration opportunities that made cybersecurity both accessible and engaging.
In March, I had the honor of joining New York’s Emerging Technology Advisory Board (ETAB) as co-chair with IBM CEO Arvind Krishna. Working directly with Governor Hochul and numerous industry leaders across public and private sectors, we worked on making New York the capital of responsible tech and AI development.
With the rapid rise of emerging technologies, Girls Who Code dedicated this year to developing an AI curriculum that prepares our students for the jobs of tomorrow. Through our summer programs, we provided over 8,000 high school students with hands-on access to AI tools as they explored emerging topics in AI, machine learning, game design, cybersecurity, data science, web design, and more.
Our Clubs program continued to flourish and College Loops grew considerably, expanding to 300 campuses nationwide. We also introduced Hiring Season, a series of events that provide personalized support to students and alumni through multi-day Hiring Summits, workshops, training opportunities, and other career-related programming.
Throughout this year of rapid change, we remained steadfast in our commitment to our community of girls, women, and nonbinary individuals who are underrepresented in tech. As the industry continues to evolve, it’s even more critical that Girls Who Code continues to be a leader in guiding young people to successful pathways in tech.
We are grateful to our students and alumni, whose resilience and ambition inspire everything we do, and to our industry partners and supporters, who make this work possible. Our community is what makes me so proud to lead Girls Who Code, and keeps me energized about the future of tech.
In sisterhood,
Dr. Tarika Barrett
Our marketing efforts continued to spark culture change, generating 14.9B engagements globally.
Our programs have served 760,000 girls, women, and nonbinary individuals globally.
Over half of the students served by Girls Who Code are from historically underrepresented groups in tech.
In 2024, 330,000 Girls Who Code alumni were college-aged or post-college aged.
Girls Who Code alumni are earning computer science and related degrees at 5X the national average.
Girls Who Code is on track to achieve gender parity in entry-level computer science jobs by 2030.
Girls Who Code provided over 8,000 students with access to AI tools to code and learn about AI, game design, cybersecurity, data science, and web design in our 2024 Summer Programs.
Over the past 13 years, Girls Who Code has served 760,000 students around the world. Our Clubs and Summer Programs are designed to spark an early interest in tech, while programs for older students like College Loops, Work Prep, Leadership Academy, Technical Interview Prep, Mentoring Corps, and Hiring Season support participants in their journey to build thriving careers in tech.
| 2012: 20 |
| 2013: 775 |
| 2014: 4,150 |
| 2015: 13,300 |
| 2016: 30,900 |
| 2017: 90,000 |
| 2018: 185,000 |
| 2019: 300,000 |
| 2020: 400,000 |
| 2021: 500,000 |
| 2022: 580,000 |
| 2023: 670,000 |
| 2024: 760,000 |
Our programs continue to grow and serve students all along the computer science pipeline.
Clubs continued to thrive in 2024 with over 5,700 programs across all 50 states. We introduced 12 new short-form activities focused on Creative Coding, Cybersecurity, and Web Development, creating new educational opportunities for our 3rd-12th grade students. We also established a Student Leadership Council, and organized 15 in-person Tech Tours.
We launched The Emerging Tech Zine, a biannual zine series introducing our younger Clubs members to current topics in emerging technologies like AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and more. Our first issue addressed the biggest theme in tech today, artificial intelligence, and guided students on a journey to explore AI through hands-on activities, playful stories, and real-world examples.
The AI4FinancialGood Challenge tasked our middle school, high school, and college communities to imagine a tool that uses AI to help people make better decisions with their money. We received 156 unique submissions, each one offering creative solutions to real-world problems. The first place winner of our College Loops division developed AIFinTech, an app that helps immigrant families manage their personal finances.
We served 8,584 students through our Summer Programs and 1,347 more in our Fall Self-Paced Program. We developed new curriculum to reflect the industry’s shift to AI—students completed nearly 2,000 AI courses including Intro to Machine Learning, Basic Neural Nets, and more. Through engagements with our 43 corporate partners who supported our Summer Immersion Program and Self-Paced Programs, our students also learned about different roles in tech, met role models who helped them envision themselves in those roles, and applied their learnings to real-world challenges.
"I loved how different the partner volunteers' stories were, and how everyone had a distinct story with tech. It was indeed inspiring and so encouraging, I find myself now more and more interested in pursuing the tech field."
SIP Student
"My favorite sisterhood moment was meeting a diverse range of people from all over the world who shared the similar passions in technology as I do. Having a community which encourages you to keep going is a great thing to have!"
SPP Student
After the success of our inaugural Industry Immersion Day events in 2023, we added more opportunities for students to meet in person, explore tech careers, network with Partner volunteers, find mentors, and work on hands-on projects with their peers. We hosted four immersive events, growing attendance by 55% and helping over 200 students explore new career pathways in tech.
The majority of Clubs and Summer Program students made gains on outcomes associated with persistence in computer science.
The majority of College and Career program participants became more confident in their ability to pursue technical internships and jobs as a result of participating.
AI Reflection
As part of a research collaboration with the UCLA CS Equity Project, 360 students in our Self-Paced Program completed a short course articulating their vision of AI's future impact through a creative project. Using diverse mediums, students synthesized their technical learning with broader societal implications, reinforcing the connection between technology and community impact.
Building upon our 2023 Self-Paced Program, we also introduced two new advanced courses in AI and machine learning in 2024.
In this course, students learned fundamental AI concepts while exploring how machine learning (ML) can be used in healthcare applications. Over the course of Summer and Fall, 1,171 students discovered how computers optimize decisions through ML algorithms, learned about data bias, and used a real-world dataset to predict the likelihood of heart disease.
Building on the Intro to Machine Learning course, this project-based course guided students through neural network construction and model improvement, all while engaging in authentic reflections on responsible AI development. Students applied their learnings to tackle a real-world challenge, developing a neural network designed to recognize ASL fingerspelling images.
We expanded our College Loops program to 300 campuses around the country—from local colleges to large state universities—providing over 5,600 students with the resources needed to succeed in their degrees. 2024 was also our first year hosting Campus Connect, a College Loops meetup at Girls Who Code’s NYC headquarters. Campus Connect had 40 attendees across seven NYC-area colleges. College Loop members enjoyed a keynote from CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett, connected over speed networking, and learned about 18+ Girls Who Code programs.
In 2024, over 270 students participated in Work Prep. The impact of the program was significant, with 79% of students reporting that it increased their confidence in applying to technical roles and inspired them to pursue a career in technology. Our partners, including Accenture, athenahealth, Bank of America, Danaher Foundation, and Pluralsight, worked directly with college-aged students to introduce them to career pathways in technology, connect them with mentors, and develop their networking skills.
This year, we introduced our first ever Hiring Season, supporting over 3,000 women and nonbinary participants in their tech career journey. The event built on the structure of our Hiring Summit and featured five workshops, one round of Resume Review, one round of Speed Networking, a two-day Hiring Summit, and one Technical Interview Prep Day.
Our third and final year of Leadership Academy, offered in partnership with RTX, grew by 40% to approximately 200 students. Participants spent four months working with advisors to build technical and professional skills. At the end of the program, all students developed Give Back Projects grounded in our organizational values: Bravery, Sisterhood, and Activism.
by Vidhi Sapru, Tiffany Ng, Clarissa Chong, Sabiha Yeasmin, Tumi Fadare
Project Goal: Spread information about inequality in education and what factors may contribute to this issue.
Audience: Individuals in underserved communities
by Melina Yang, Phillyscia Stanley, Anika Bansai
Project Goal: Inform NYC residents of areas where housing affordability is constantly changing.
Audience: 8 million residents of Manhattan
by Morgan Pruitt
Project Goal: To educate and empower young women with the knowledge to safeguard themselves in our digital world through cybersecurity
Audience: Girls and teens between ages 8-18
2024 was our third year providing Technical Interview Prep Bootcamps. Over the course of the year, we ran five Bootcamps and Practice Days, giving over 500 participants the skills and confidence needed to succeed in technical interviews through real-world prompts, live feedback from corporate volunteers, and more. We could not have done this without the generous support of our partners: Apollo Opportunity Foundation, Autodesk, Danaher Foundation, Duck Creek Technologies, Mondelēz International, ServiceNow, Inc., and U.S. Bank.
Created in partnership with MetLife and MetLife Foundation, Mentoring Corps matched high school Clubs students with nearby College Loops students to explore coding projects, college life, and tech careers. College students, in turn, developed their leadership skills and received targeted training and job readiness. In 2024, Mentoring Corps grew to reach over 440 college students and 550 Clubs students across the country.
The Alumni Advisory Council (AAC) is a diverse group of Girls Who Code students and young professionals who offer firsthand perspectives on issues facing computer science students, the process of finding internships and jobs, and life in the workforce. This cohort of 25 Girls Who Code alumni has played a critical role in our programming, ensuring that our efforts align with the evolving needs of our students in today’s fast-changing landscape.
2024 council members served as event leaders, speakers, mentors, and organizers, representing Girls Who Code in-person, online, and even at the White House.
We partnered with Craig Newmark Philanthropies to launch the Cyber Education Alliance, a network of 21 organizations committed to safeguarding young people online. Our #GetCyberSmart campaign continues to offer a variety of educational resources and activities for both K-12 students and college and career-age individuals.
We would like to thank our Cyber Education Alliance members for their commitment to keeping young people around the world safe online: Black Girls Hack, Black Girls in Cyber, CodeHS, Code.org, Common Sense Media, CYBER.ORG, CyberTorial, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Empow(H)er Cybersecurity, the Geena Davis Institute, Girl Scouts of Greater NY, Girl Security, Girls Who Hack, Raíces Cyber Organization, Startfield, Inc., The Accelerated Training Program (T-ATP), The Diana Initiative, Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), Women in Security and Privacy (WISP), and the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC).
In 2024, Girls Who Code’s CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett was appointed co-chair of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s Emerging Technology Advisory Board (ETAB), serving alongside IBM CEO Arvind Krishna.
ETAB was an independent body of approximately 20 top leaders from both the public and private sectors, formed to help shape a thriving emerging technology ecosystem across New York State. The board was established to advance Governor Hochul’s bold vision of positioning New York as a leading hub for cutting-edge research and innovation in artificial intelligence.
2024 was a year of technological innovation—and AI is just the tip of the iceberg. If we want to prepare our students for what the future holds for tech, we must evolve alongside emerging technologies.
Over the last 13 years, Girls Who Code has worked hard to prepare 760,000 girls, women, and nonbinary individuals to succeed in tech. Now, it’s time for something more audacious.
Five by Five is Girls Who Code’s bold new plan to reach five million girls, women, and nonbinary individuals by 2030. We are dedicating the next five years to strategically scaling our impact and expanding student programs to match the demands of a dynamic industry.
We are introducing new opportunities to learn and build with AI and other cutting-edge technology, and giving students more opportunities to apply their skills to real-world challenges. And finally, we are focusing our efforts on the thing that makes all of this possible—sisterhood. Our community is what enables our students to pursue paths in tech with confidence and support.
In 2025, we pledge to stay true to our mission and continue to support our community in preparing for careers in tech, and working with our alumni to adapt, advance, and lead the tech of tomorrow.
"Supporting Girls Who Code's Cyber Education Alliance has been an important step towards empowering the next generation with the tools and awareness they need to stay safe in today's digital world. The Alliance plays a key role in making cybersecurity education accessible and relatable to young people.”
"I am extremely passionate about helping to expand opportunity in the technology field to ensure everyone has the same access, mentorship and opportunities needed to develop and succeed. I’m excited to support GWC’s mission and work alongside such a dedicated community. My involvement will build off my work on an Apollo Opportunity Foundation (AOF) Deal Team, which aims to expand access to career education, workforce development, and economic empowerment in the communities in which we live and work.”
“Synchrony is proud to partner with Girls Who Code to empower the next generation of technology leaders. We’re passionate about creating opportunities for all students to thrive in STEM fields, and we’re excited to continue supporting Girls Who Code programs that foster innovation, build confidence, and shape the future of this industry.”
“As AI continues to transform the way we live and work, it’s essential that we prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s leaders in this space. Our collaboration with Girls Who Code reflects IBM’s commitment to providing access to AI education and resources that go beyond the classroom, offering students hands-on opportunities to explore, build, and grow with AI. Through IBM SkillsBuild, we aim to equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to shape the future of technology.”
"Supporting Girls Who Code's Cyber Education Alliance has been an important step towards empowering the next generation with the tools and awareness they need to stay safe in today's digital world. The Alliance plays a key role in making cybersecurity education accessible and relatable to young people."
