Campus

I want to have a career in programming, so I signed up for Campus as a way to learn more about computer science. I learned a ton in two weeks about all different types of coding, such as HTML and Javascript. I also really liked the project-based work, both to learn in the first week and build a team project in the second week. I took away the mindset that you should never be afraid of trying something, even when it’s challenging. Campus definitely gave me more confidence, and I’m planning to major in Computer Science in college.

I’ve done some coding before in school, and I loved the chance to meet other girls who have the same interests as me. It’s important for girls who like coding to find one another, because in school it’s mostly boys. Girls together are really powerful. As my final project, we built a game in Scratch to promote recycling. We saw a lot of plastic bags on the street and in the park and wanted to educate people about littering. I loved getting to work on a problem like that with a group of girls who became my friends.

I learned so much about coding, but the most valuable thing I took away was the confidence to try new things, make mistakes, and share my work…even if it’s not perfect. That’s something I’ve always struggled with, but in Campus, I built a lot of confidence and learned to be more comfortable with imperfection. That’s a skill that will be really important as I pursue a career as an engineer.

I’d done an hour of code in one of my classes, and I wanted to learn more! My math teacher told me about Campus, and I talked to a friend who loved her Girls Who Code Club so I decided to do it. I loved getting to learn the basics of programming and work on a project that can help other people. My team built a platformer game inspired by learning about the gender pay gap. Coding is a male-dominated field, so it’s pretty cool to get to learn about it alongside other girls, who quickly became a tightknit group of friends.

I’d taken a short coding course at my school, which made me interested in learning more about computer science. At Campus, I had the chance to learn Javascript and work together with a group to create a website on a topic we all cared about. I really loved the sisterhood and friendships I made in Campus. At school, everyone worked individually. But in Campus, I learned how to work on a team and felt very connected and supported. I now want to start a Girls Who Code Club at my school and share what I’ve learned with other girls.

My teacher was a developer who’d been to a lot of hackathons and competitions. I never realized there was a community that I could be a part of — and I’m so glad I found one with Girls Who Code. I loved getting to code this summer but the best part was meeting girls with similar interests. In my other coding camps, I’d been one of the only girls and felt isolated. But in Campus, I felt really supported – there’s a lot of encouragement. You’ll be in a class with people who get you!

I didn’t have any coding experience before Campus, but now I think it’s something I want to do the in the future. I took the class with my sister and we built a website and game to educate people about bee extinction and why bees are so important. It’s a really supportive environment, where you’re not judged for making a mistake or trying something new. That helped me open up more! We’re all going through the same thing at the same time. Now that I’m in high school, I’m going to sign up for coding classes

My favorite thing about Campus was bonding with the other girls. Every day we did ice breakers and women in tech spotlights. The connection I had with the other girls in the class was really special. I’d taken a coding course before at my school but it’s totally different to be in a setting where everyone is a girl and you get to talk about other girls in tech. It’s empowering and made me realize I’m not alone! I’m now planning to take AP CS at my school and keep in touch with my friends from the program. I can see us doing hackathons and other projects together in the future.

On the first day, I heard a statistic about the percent of Girls Who Code students that go on to major or minor in Computer Science. That really encouraged me; it made me feel like I had direction and that I know what I want to do with my life. After attending Campus, I now think I want to major in Computer Science in college. It was a pretty transformational experience, actually. I loved the problem solving and challenge, and I’m passionate about getting more girls into computer science. I want to be part of that change.

I loved meeting new people who were also interested in coding. At first, everyone was really shy but by the end of the class we were all super close. You could ask any question and we were all really involved in each other’s projects. I’m still in contact with most of the girls. That’s what’s special about Campus. It teaches you that you don’t have to be worried if you’re the only girl in a coding class because you’re just as good as any guy. I actually just won a competition for an app idea I came up with after Campus. If I can do it, so can you.

I’d done some very basic block coding and a few online tutorials, but I wanted to learn more about programming because it’s an important skill to have. Everything in life today uses code, and there are a ton of jobs available. Campus was a kind and safe place for me to learn. The instructors were helpful and the other girls were really nice. I was nervous beforehand that everyone was going to be better than me, but I quickly discovered that everyone’s there to learn, make mistakes, and help one another. I learned a ton in those two weeks and built an interactive website!

I’d done a few coding classes and summer camps before. They were almost all boys and I found them pretty intimidating. I didn’t feel like I could ask for help. Campus was a totally different experience. I had a sisterhood of girls there to support me and work collaboratively. We got to know each other really quickly and no one was trying to compete. Our group work was very collaborative, and I felt that got us to a stronger final project: an interactive website to raise awareness about poverty. I now have confidence in my abilities as a coder and am planning to take more classes at my school. I’m also looking to start a Girls Who Code Club!