Celebrate Computer Science Education Week by Starting a Free Girls Who Code Club

Computer Science Education Week is an opportunity to introduce students to one of the fastest-growing and most influential fields in education. It is also an opportunity to consider who has access to those experiences.

Although computer science jobs continue to grow, girls remain underrepresented in computer science courses, college majors, and technology careers. Research suggests that students are more likely to pursue computing when they have early opportunities to build technical skills, develop confidence, and see peers and mentors who look like them. Programs such as Girls Who Code were created to address those barriers through hands-on learning and a strong sense of community.

The Learning Technology Center of Illinois is proud to partner with Girls Who Code to help expand access to computer science education across Illinois.

Girls Who Code Clubs are free after-school programs for students in grades 6 through 12. Club members learn fundamental programming concepts by building projects that reflect their own interests and experiences. Along the way, they develop computational thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and project management skills. The goal is not simply to teach students how to write code. It is to help them see themselves as people who can create technology rather than just consume it.

Starting a club requires less technical expertise than many educators expect. The program provides:

• A free, standards-aligned curriculum that can be adapted to different schedules and experience levels.
• Ready-to-use lesson plans and coding activities.
• Training and ongoing support for club facilitators.
• Opportunities to apply for grants and additional program funding.
• Access to a national community of educators and Girls Who Code alumni.
• No prior computer science experience is required. Teachers, librarians, instructional coaches, and technology leaders have successfully led clubs using the resources and support provided by Girls Who Code.

Independent evaluations of Girls Who Code have found that participants are more likely than their peers to pursue computer science in college, highlighting the long-term impact that early, supportive experiences can have on students’ educational pathways.

Getting started takes about 15 minutes. Complete the online Clubs Application, and be sure to select the Learning Technology Center of Illinois as your community partner to receive the additional benefits available through our partnership.

For more information, register for an upcoming 30-minute informational webinar or contact clubs@girlswhocode.com.

Computer Science Education Week lasts one week. The confidence students gain from discovering they can build technology can last much longer.