Girls Who Code +

Team Members: Noel Brooks, William Brothers, Tiffany Foster, Trevor Hamilton, Amy Keely, Andrew Koury, Julian Plasencia

Girls Who Code +, in partnership with Communities In Schools of SC (CISSC), will provide a program designed to facilitate club activities and field trips to introduce coding concepts and deliver immersive STEM career exploration for female students in Greenville County, grades 6-12. CISSC operates as an affiliate of the nationwide organization, Communities In Schools (CIS). CISSC works to create a supportive environment to help students overcome challenges and empower them to stay on track to graduate on time and achieve their full potential. De-Coder Rings and CISSC partnered to launch the first Girls Who Code + at Tanglewood Middle School.

Girls Who Code + facilitators will utilize game and project development as a platform to teach coding concepts, build camaraderie, and have fun. Additionally, each structured session will afford an opportunity for sisterhood activities where participants develop friendships, confidence, and teamwork. Girls Who Code + will enhance content by adding field trips to area manufacturing and educational facilities to allow program participants an opportunity to witness coding in the workforce. Field trips to BMW, Greenville Technical College, Michelin, and the Peace Center will offer students a chance to observe real-world applications of technology, engineering, and innovation, providing context for their club meetings. Participants will build context and make connections with the coding they are learning via the field trip experiences.

Girls Who Code + has the potential to not only positively impact exposure for young females to consider STEM pathways, but also to eventually move the needle on the critical need for well-trained, highly-educated STEM professionals among area businesses.