In Her Own Words: Girls Who Code Campus Alumni share what Campus is all about
Written by Girls Who Code Campus Alumni: Sara, Isabella, Deanna
This summer, Girls Who Code is expanding our newest program, Girls Who Code Campus, to reach even more girls across the country! Campus is an accelerated 2-week coding course focusing on different topics from Intro to Computer Science, to Wearable Tech & Fashion Design, to iPhone App Development, for girls of all ages and skill levels!
Some of our 2018 Campus students shared their experiences learning to code, building projects they’re proud of, and joining the sisterhood of girls who code:
Sara, Age 14, Los Angeles
Even though the classes were for teenage girls my age, I was nervous about trying to create a website for the first time. I loved every minute of the program and I ended up creating two websites during this summer with no previous experience!
One of the surprise benefits to the Girls Who Code program was meeting new friends. I enjoyed learning the coding, but making great new friends was an added bonus. My summer was a perfect combination of learning new skills while meeting like-minded girls.
After the summer ended, I kept in touch with other girls from the GWC program and even enrolled in a computer science course at my high school! I have found a new talent that I didn’t believe I had before enrolling in the GWC program. I recommend you try coding to see if you have hidden talents like I discovered.
Isabella, Age 14, New York City
This past summer, I joined Girls Who Code’s first Campus Program which specialized in iPhone App Development and during this session I created a game that aimed at educating children on how to recycle in a fun format.
Girls Who Code was a fantastic experience — you join a sisterhood, you improve your technology skills, you learn about and hear from successful women in tech, you discuss issues in the community, you receive lesson plans, … and so much more. I am very proud to be a part of GWC and my experience was and is without a doubt the most interesting, challenging, and worthwhile summer experience I have had to date.
Deanna, Age 16, Los Angeles
Last summer, I participated in two campus programs: iPhone App Development 1 and Website Design & Development. I think that the most challenging aspect for me was learning text-based coding. I had previously been in a Girls Who Code club at my middle school, so while I was familiar with basic block-based coding, but I was new to text-based coding. My instructors were very patient while helping me which I really appreciated since I had so many questions to ask.
I also really enjoyed making the final project in both programs because we were able to make projects that addressed matters we were passionate about. In the app development program, for example, my group made an app called Pax that helps people with anxiety by providing different activities that can help the user feel more relaxed. We coded animations and provided links to different websites and videos that could be accessed within our app.
Are you inspired by Sara, Isabella, and Deanna’s experiences at Girls Who Code Campus? Find your sisterhood by Registering for a Campus course for summer 2019! Got questions? Email campus@girlswhocode.com!