Empowering students in grades 5-12 to learn about computer science and how to write computer code while making connections with others who also think creatively. Led by the college, with graduate students, in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Classes are free, although donations are welcome for food, supplies, t-shirts and instructors.
While this program aimed at girls to inspire more girls to consider coding, registration is open to all qualified students regardless of their sex or gender identity.
Registration for the Spring 2026 Session is closed.
Classes will be held in person at the EMS building of UW-Milwaukee (3200 N. Cramer St., Milwaukee 53211).
Classes are open to students from 5th to 12th grades.
All classes are held Friday nights from 6 to 8 pm.
The session will begin on February 6 and end on April 24, with breaks on March 27 and April 3, totaling 10 meetings.
Three different classes are typically offered:
Intro to Coding (little to no experience with coding). Students will use the Codesters platform to learn coding fundamentals with Python.
Intro to Web Programming (some coding experience assumed). Students will learn Javascript, CSS and HTML to create fully stylized and interactive websites.
Intro to Cybersecurity. Students will learn cybersecurity fundamentals and do hands-on activities related to ethical hacking, security operations defense, social engineering and secure applications.
Girls Who Code/Kids Coding Club Interest
We’ll contact you when registration for the next session opens.
Read about a student from Kenya who participated in Girls Who Code
“I use the computer for school, and I wanted to understand more about how they work,” said Elsie Maingi, who is 10 years old and lives in Nairobi.
However, computer classes in Kenya were geared to high school students and business people and were usually quite expensive, said her mother, Lilian Wangechi.
So in the fall of 2020, they turned to Google and found the free Girls Who Code program at UWM. Because of the time difference, Elsie got up at 2 a.m. for every class during that semester and the spring 2021 semester. Read more here.
Our classes are free but we welcome donations for food, supplies, t-shirts and instructors. In the past we charged $5 per meeting.
What age students can attend? Students must be at least in 5th grade to attend our classes.
Can boys participate? The Girls Who Code Club is aimed toward girls because we wish to increase the number of girls interested in computing, but boys are welcome to participate.
Can adults participate? These classes are for students still in school. If older people wish to participate, see one of the volunteers for other opportunities.
Will you have club meetings over summer? No, but UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science is sponsoring EnQuest, an engineering summer camp.
What students and parents are saying
Students and parents overwhelmingly give thumbs up to the experience.
A parent’s perspective: “…it is important that she sees herself as someone who could (in the future) create something cool rather than just waiting for someone else to create it.”
From a student’s perspective: “I got to learn a lot of new coding things and I also got to know a lot more people.”