Google's aim to encourage young women to learn how to code is growing. With Google's Made With Code initiative, national nonprofits have received grants to host young women at coding parties. 

Girl Inc. DC, received $2,500 with an "aim to excite girls about what they can create with code, at an age when they are most likely to start abandoning STEM subjects in school," said an article on TheNextWeb.com. "This involves teaching them what code can do – or, more specifically, what code can build that they might not have thought of."

“So far, we have hosted four coding parties serving 50 girls total,” Christina Brown, program coordinator at Girls Inc. DC. “Three more hosting parties have already been scheduled to take place between the rest of September and the month of October. We are hoping to schedule at least one more in the month of October. We have partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to host coding parties to introduce their girls to the world of code as well.”

At these parties, the article said, girls can make their own jewelry, avatars, music beats, and more. 

"During the Coding Parties, we coded bracelets on madewithcode.com,” said Calder, a participant. “We also coded avatars and some musical beats. I learned that code is used for a lot more than just computer websites and apps – it is used for music, jewelry, clothing, and so much more.”

Denese Lombardi, Executive Director of Girls Inc. DC, shared that aside from coding events, the organization also works to connect young women with companies who hire IT professionals. 

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Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor