The newly founded Miami chapter of Girls Who Code is already changing the lives of its members through the supportive environment it provides for girls interested in computer programming. Here is what five of the girls had to say about their experiences:

Trinity, age 11, loves coding because it is another form of science that she can experiment with. One of her favorite parts of the club is when women in technical fields come to speak to them about how they use coding in their everyday lives. These women serve as role models, proving to the girls that they, too, can become computer scientists and software engineers. “It feels like I could be up there talking someday,” says Trinity. This confidence is exactly what Girls Who Code is meant to give its members.

Shreya, age 11, is extremely passionate about coding. Although she commutes from about an hour away she says that Girls Who Code is worth the trip. “I never found a place where other girls my age liked programming too,” Shreya admits. Her favorite part of the club is when they get to learn about all of the different applications that coding has to offer, including all the ways that it can be used to help the community. She especially liked when Dr. Brinkman came to speak to them about his research in virtual reality, showing them all of his cool gadgets. Shreya cannot wait to return to the club next semester.

Olivia, age 12, was exposed to coding in her elementary school and has not wanted to stop learning since, especially when it involves games. Her favorite part of the club is the sisterhood aspect, allowing her to hang out with other girls who love coding as much as she does. “It’s easier to talk to the other girls in the club because I know that we all have the same mutual interest,” shares Olivia.

Cynthia, age 16, had no coding experience before joining the club last year; but, with a year of coding under her belt, feels a strong passion for computer science. As an up-and-coming mathematician, she loves tackling programming challenges much like other math problems. Her goal is to build her own computer like her brother did. She is also very excited to take a game design class at Talawanda High School next semester, since she is an avid gamer. While this class is known for being male-dominated, she is confident that she will still enjoy and do well in the course. “Gender doesn’t matter as long as I’m good at what I do,” states Cynthia. 

Amy, age 16, found out about Girls Who Code through an announcement made by her game design teacher at Talawanda High School. Her favorite part of Girls Who Code is the community that it provides, supporting her interest in technology and fighting the stigma that exists towards females who pursue careers in technical fields. Her family has always been very supportive of her interest in coding, especially since both her cousin and her sister work in IT. She loves that the club is working on a forum-based website that will be used to help the Oxford community go green in its recycling endeavors. Her goal is to continue using her coding skills to help people in the community in some way.

Regardless of age, all of these girls’ testimonies demonstrate the overall powerful influence that Girls Who Code has on increasing female confidence in computer programming, as well as other technical fields. Hopefully this incredible organization will continue to inspire many more young women to pursue careers in computer science and engineering.

By Christy Torrese