011518 Girls Code (KM)

Five girls attended the introductory meeting of the Girls Who Code program Saturday at the Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St. in Sycamore. The newly formed group is part of the nonprofit organization Girls Who Code, which has more than 40,000 members in all 50 states. <br />
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DeKalb County girls – or boys if they are interested – in fifth through 12th grades can join the group. A Sycamore library card is not required. The group will meet from 1 to 3 Saturdays at the Sycamore Public Library through March. <br />
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Each week, the girls will learn how to write source code for computer programming. By March, the girls will have completed a project, such as an app, game or website, that will help or be beneficial to the community.<br />
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Mom Erin Arnold of Sycamore helped start the group as a way for her 10-year-old daughter Emelia Arnold-Swanson to learn more about technology.<br />
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“I wanted to bring coding to the community, because there is nothing else like it in the area,” Arnold said. “My goal is to help my daughter and other young girls feel more comfortable, to feel like they belong, in careers with science and technology. There is a gender gap, and technology is a male-dominated field. I want to take steps to change that.”

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Five girls attended the introductory meeting of the Girls Who Code program Saturday at the Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St. in Sycamore. The newly formed group is part of the nonprofit organization Girls Who Code, which has more than 40,000 members in all 50 states.

DeKalb County girls – or boys if they are interested – in fifth through 12th grades can join the group. A Sycamore library card is not required. The group will meet from 1 to 3 Saturdays at the Sycamore Public Library through March.

Each week, the girls will learn how to write source code for computer programming. By March, the girls will have completed a project, such as an app, game or website, that will help or be beneficial to the community.

Mom Erin Arnold of Sycamore helped start the group as a way for her 10-year-old daughter Emelia Arnold-Swanson to learn more about technology.

“I wanted to bring coding to the community, because there is nothing else like it in the area,” Arnold said. “My goal is to help my daughter and other young girls feel more comfortable, to feel like they belong, in careers with science and technology. There is a gender gap, and technology is a male-dominated field. I want to take steps to change that.”