Sammy Lowdermilk

Many people assume that we are attempting to create job-ready students. That our workshops and camps give students a skill-set to jump directly into the workforce or create complex software or apps. Our primary goals are to SPARK interest in computer science, provide mentorship from women in the field, and point girls to the vast amount of resources that are available to them. Part of our mission is to also dispel any misconceptions about computer programming that might be held by young women and eliminate and reluctance they may have.

In our workshops, mentors conduct a learning experience that includes an introduction to computer programming, website construction, and video game development. Adult women teaching young women how to code in a comfortable, fun and engaging environment, where it is less about the programming content learned and more about the self-awareness and confidence gained. 

We've made a long-term investment to create a path to gender equity and career parity, at least in computer programming. We're recruiting communities all across the U.S. (and elsewhere soon) to take on our banner and our mission. Programmers, organizations and companies are stepping up to the plate to help. Honestly, it feels good...really good. I couldn't be happier with the growth we've seen in such little time. I think it's partly a testament to the great group of women we have helping us, but also a testament to focusing on a specific group with a specific mission. 

To wrap up this week's short post, I think to understand our organization the public must understand where we want to be and what are long-term goals are. Things are moving forward, but we've got a long way to go. So where do we want to be? 

Simply stated, everywhere; we want to be everywhere- cities and towns big and small, urban and rural. We want to run thousands of young women of all backgrounds through our program each year to ignite that SPARK in computer programming. If our organization can help a few young women gain confidence and connect to successful women within their community, then we've succeeded. 

We've got a long way to go but we'll get there. I think. Maybe? Yea, we will. Thanks for enduring this week's ramblings! We'll get the guest bloggers back on here next week!

This week's post is simple...evoke conversation...please share your thoughts!

My name is Laura Willson and I am a senior at Saint Jean Baptiste High School, an all-girls high school. I am Latina and I am the middle child of 8. My coding interest began last year when I attended the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. There I learned how to code in a variety of programming languages, such as JavaScript, Python, C, CSS, JQuery, and HTML. After the Girls Who Code Program, I created a Girls Who Code club within my school to allow girls the opportunity to learn how to code and encourage them to gain an interest within the STEM field. I have also been part of hackathons in NYC as well as a coding program called CodeNow, which teaches high school students how to program and gives exposure to tech companies. I love to share my experience with other young women and inspire them. I am passionate about coding and I will major in Computer Science once in college. I am a girl who codes! You can follow me on Twitter @Willson_Laura97 and check out my blog: lauralynnwillson.com

I became interested in coding when my sophomore guidance counselor told my class about a program called Girls Who Code. She mentioned that the program involves learning how to code. I had no idea what coding was nor have I heard the term before. I applied for the program because I was up for the challenge. When I got accepted, I spent Summer 2013 learning how to code for eight weeks in different programming languages, such as JavaScript, Python, C, CSS, JQuery, and HTML. I also went on field trips such as Google, Palantir, Qualcomm, and Twitter. Hearing from other women in the technology field encouraged me to be part of the coding world.  

Learning to code has given me the opportunity to think differently about technology and the world. Technology has really changed the world in many positive ways, such as finding cures for diseases and making communication easier. Coding has also improved my problem solving skills. I have learned that before solving a problem, you must start small and ask yourself what you want to get out of the solution. Coding has also helped me realize that frustration is your best friend. This means even if one piece of code does not work and it makes you frustrated, you know you can't give up because you will eventually get that one piece of code to work. Coding is important and has been important for a long time now, like centuries. Coding is problem solving and programming in different computer programming languages. A person who knows how to code can get any kind of career. Coding is not only for computers, tablets or even the xbox, but also for medical uses. It helps with many problems, and diseases is one of the problems that can be treated through coding. After hearing this, I thought about my grandfather, who died from the Alzheimer’s disease, and figured I can come up with a treatment that will help cure patients who have this disease. I would like to pursue a career in computer science or engineering. I hope to teach others how to code because it can create new ideas for apps and devices. Teaching others to code will not only make a difference in their lives, but also make a difference in the world. 

Sammy Lowdermilk, Co-Founder of 100 Girls of Code

See what I did there? As many of you know, we are opening "100 Girls of Code" chapters in various locations across the U.S. We have three chapters as of today- Nashville, TN; Columbia, SC; and Lake Oswego, OR. We will open a fourth next week and are organizing several more with various organizations. 

We started this initiative last year with eleven stops across Tennessee. in 2015, we are taking on a bigger endeavor to tour not only Tennessee, but seven other states across the southeast. The tour will be a HUGE undertaking for us and, honestly, a pretty big budget item. I would love to tour the entire U.S., but eight is all we can handle right now. In turn, we are asking for help. To make significant strides toward our goal of having more young girls enter into Computer Science fields, we have to solicit the help of others by opening local chapters.

Thankfully, we've got great people like Diana Laboy-Rush from Oregon, Sara Kennedy from South Carolina, and the ENTIRE TEAM from Raven Tools in Nashville, that are willing to tackle this challenge with us. There are other groups answering our call and hopefully you will hear about those great people and organizations soon. 

So how can you help? Spread the word on social media or via email. Volunteer for our events. Start your own chapter locally. Sponsor/support our efforts financially. This only continues with your help.