Fourth- to eighth-graders in the Girls Who Code club at UWM work hard at their computers. The girls here are in Level 1A, which teach the basics of the Python programming language and does not require any prior coding experience. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
UWM College of Engineering & Applied Science student volunteers help a group of girls problem-solve an issue. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Girls Who Code aims to make coding more enjoyable and approachable by involving games. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
A class listens intently to instructions from a graduate student volunteer. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
A UWM student volunteer checks on the work of a young coder. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
The club's Wi-Fi password includes a message of empowerment. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Girls Who Code hosts a second class after Level 1A. Level 2A teaches JavaScript and is geared toward students who have done some coding. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Sammie Omranian, a graduate student in computer science, teaches coding to students in the most advanced group of the Girls Who Code club. Her goal is to attract more girls to computer science because women are underrepresented in computing. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
UWM's Girls Who Code club includes more than 50 members. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey).
In the Girls Who Code club, the activities and outreach are aimed toward girls because there is a wish to increase the number of girls interested in computing, but boys are also welcome to join in the learning and fun. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
On Dec. 7, UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science joined Milwaukee’s Hour of Code, a region-wide event led by Northwestern Mutual. The goal is to teach an hour of computer coding to local students during Computer Science Week – or at least 1,000 hours of code across the Milwaukee region.
UWM’s Girls Who Code Club is one of the participants in the Hour of Code. Girls and even boys from area elementary schools, middle schools and high schools attend free Friday night classes. More than just instruction, it’s a club experience, with engaging, bonding activities, t-shirts and a spirit of camaraderie.
Hour of Code is a global events that this year included more than 200,000 events in more than 180 countries.
