For a long time, girls have been deeply underrepresented in STEM fields, and a lot of that has to do with early school and developmental years. The fields are traditionally seen as masculine, and sometimes that can either discourage young girls or they could be actively prevented from engaging in them. However, many groups are working hard to make sure that all kids can feel comfortable taking tech courses and pursuing science as a hobby or even career. These local tech classes told us how they encourage girls to join.
CodeAdvantage
Various locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens
Dates: Flexible
Session lengths: 1-3 hours
Price determined by session length and class duration
“As co-founder of CodeAdvantage and a female engineer, I was dismayed to see recent statistics on the low number of girls and women studying computer science. Given how critical learning to code is for most future endeavors, we offer GIRL CODE POWER classes to encourage more participation. In this all-girl class, we have female instructors who are also great role models with technology backgrounds. We create a supportive and empowering environment for girls to learn to code. We have held these classes in afterschool programs and numerous semi-private classes. We have also participated in coding events around the NYC-metro area aimed at getting girls more excited about what they can CREATE with technology.” –Charu Chaturvedi, Co-Founder
The Coding Space
Upper East Side, Upper West Side & Park Slope, Brooklyn
June 18-August 17
1-week, 2-week, or 4-week sessions available
Starting at $790/week
“GirlCode is an all-girls program that helps girls develop confidence, grit, and a supportive community to ignite their excitement in STEM. GirlCode empowers girls to see coding as an avenue to solving some of the world’s biggest problems. At camp, girls work in teams to tackle the Code For Change challenge, in which they code a solution to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. GirlCoders then go on field trips to present their work to a team of female engineers at Google, Facebook, or Microsoft.” –Eli Kariv & Nicole Kelner, Co-Founders
Pixel Academy
Upper East Side, Tribeca & Brooklyn
June 25-August 31
Various classes offered
“We’ve been up against the STEM-is-for-boys stigma since the day we started. Our very first open day in 2013 was very noticeably a room full of boys, and we knew we had to change that. Since then, we’ve offered some girls-only afterschool workshops, we’ve worked with organizations like the Girl Scouts and Girls Who Code to promote STEM for girls, and we’ve had female engineers speak with our kids about their jobs. We’re proud to have hosted over 400 awesome girls in the NYC area at our afterschool programs and summer camps over the past five years, and we’re excited to meet many more!” –Noah Berg, Chief Communications Officer
Upperline Code
Manhattan & Brooklyn
June 18-August 24
2-week sessions
“As an organization, we are deeply committed to bringing students from underrepresented groups, including young women, into our programs and tech overall. One of the most important ways we do this is in our pedagogical training. We work extensively to support and train our teachers in practices that we believe work best for creating an inclusive classroom that welcomes all students, particularly students from underrepresented groups. In addition, we actively recruit female applicants for our teaching fellowship, because we understand that female representation in the leadership of our classrooms is an important piece of empowering young women to pursue coding. Finally, we work actively with non-profit organizations with the goal of empowering young women to pursue computer science. Some of our partner organizations include Kode with Klossy and Mission EDC, both of whom run programs for young women.” –Taylor Want, Director of Operations
Girls Who Code
At Girls Who Code—founded by a local mom—promoting girls’ interest in STEM is always the No. 1 priority. Just recently, they launched their new Summer Immersion Program, a free seven-week program in which girls in grades 10-11 can learn about coding and tech jobs in various locations around Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Their Campus Programs for NYC are two-week sessions and take place at Brooklyn Friends School, Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, the Hewitt School, The Spence School, and the Riverdale Country School. Twenty percent of the program’s seats are reserved for those who require scholarships, and seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Girls Who Code also has clubs located in various schools and community centers throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx during the academic year. Some are limited to attendees of the school where it’s hosted, but others are open to all girls.
Top Tech Programs for Kids
Beam Center
Brooklyn Robot Foundry
Code Craft Academy
CodeAdvantage
The Coding Space
Construction Kids
Generation Code
Girls Who Code
HYPOTHEkids
i2 Camp
Launch Math + Science Center
Mathnasium
New York Code + Design Academy
Pixel Academy
RoboFun
SciTech Kids
TEKintellect
Upperline Code
Zaniac Learning
