NEWS
SPRING 2022
Week 10
The Grand Finale!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up our last week of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, students presented their final projects!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Robotics Programming and Animation Creation for 5th & 6th graders
- Robotics Programming and App Development for 7th & 8th graders
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for 9th-12th graders
1. Feedback
Your feedback helps us improve Spartan Girls Who Code year after year! Let us know what you thought of this spring's edition by filling out the parent post-survey. If your student didn't have a chance to share their feedback at our final meeting by filling out the student post-survey, please encourage them to do so, too!
2. Looking Ahead
Saturday, 4/23 marked the final meeting of Spartan Girls Who Code for the spring. Thanks for making it such a blast!
3. Camp Infinity
Camp Infinity is a series of sessions that introduce girls, in grades 5 through 12, to computer and internet technologies through hands-on activities. Each session will engage students in age-appropriate topics ranging from animation and app development to robotics programming, and robotic process automation. These series of camps run between June 20 and July 29.
Some of their programs include:
The registration opens April 26th. For more information, visit: https://mcwt.org/programs/list/K-12-Initiatives/CAMP-INFINITY
4. GirlsGetMath@Dearborn
University of Michigan is offering an applied math summer camp this summer for high school girls who are interested in mathematics and would like to further their curiosity. It is called GirlsGetMath@Dearborn and takes place July 25, 2022 - July 28, 2022.
The program is free for all admitted students. The application deadline is May 31st. For more information, visit: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/ggmdearborn
5. The Joy of Coding
Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan is offering an online course that high school students can participate in this summer. It is called The Joy Of Coding and takes place June 22, 2022 - August 3, 2022.
The Joy of Coding online course has been specially created for anyone who wants to experience first-hand the power and thrill of coding computers to do amazing things. Created with high school students in mind, it is a great way for anyone to step into the wondrous world of coding. You’ll learn by doing and experience how coding powers apps such as Snapchat and TikTok.
The cost of the program is $99 plus tax per student. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, visit: https://joyofcoding.eecs.umich.edu/
6. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
7. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we played some would-you-rather to get some fun conversations started.
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our live spotlight, where our students got to talk to Shannon Cawley, a Product Owner in the Vehicle Software Updates department at Ford. Shannon shared her journey from her business background to her current role and gave great advice to our students.
Shannon Cawley, Product Owner at Ford, stopped by last Saturday's meeting as a live guest spotlight!
Once our students finished asking Shannon their questions, we took a few minutes to put finishing touches on our final projects and get ready to present them.
To celebrate our last Saturday, everyone got to show off their final projects. We loved seeing everyone’s creativity and passions reflected in their websites!
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on their favorite parts of the club and some feedback for future improvements.
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
To finish our spotlight series, we are highlighting our wonderful advisors this week!
Dr. Laura Dillon
Teresa Isela VanderSloot
What do you do at MSU?
I'm a Professor Emeritus—which means I'm retired! At MSU, I mainly taught introduction to programming and software
engineering. In the last 5 years before retiring, I created and taught the
Computational Thinking Lab. I LOVED teaching this class and
recruited many Technovation and SGWC mentors from it. Now I work with MSU mentors and Teresa and Sebnem on coding clubs.
I also volunteer for many programs of the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT).
How did you become interested in computer science, and how did you get to where you are today?
Completely by accident. I was studying math at University of Michigan, when I decided to take a year off to see the USA.
In that year, I had a chance to teach programming in the business school at Eastern Montana College. Learning Cobol and
Basic a week before my students was a bit harrowing, but I really liked programming. I liked problem-solving and I liked that
programming was useful (a common "use" given for homology theory was showing that you can't comb a hairy ball flat without
creating a cowlick!). When my graduate advisor died unexpectedly while I was away, I decided to switch both majors and schools.
I got my PhD in CS from UMass Amherst five years later. I taught at UMass the next year since delivering a baby within a
semester of starting a new job didn't sound like a smart thing to do. The following year I took a job at University of
California Santa Barbara (UCSB), where I taught and did research in software engineering, and my husband started a PhD
program in the ecology of lakes. We ended up back in Michigan 12 years later when MSU solved our two-body problem by
offering both my husband and I jobs. As a professor at MSU, I got to travel the world to give talks and teach programming
and software engineering. A favorite was three summer camps for
secondary school girls and their teachers in Rwanda!
What's your favorite part about Spartan Girls Who Code?
The coders! Especially coders who don't have a clue at the start and are amazed to learn what they can do with code by the end.
It is so much fun to see the light gradually turn on! I love seeing them gain confidence as they realize that programming just
takes practice.
What message would you like to leave with our students and mentors moving forward?
My favorite Grace Hopper quote: "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."
What do you do at MSU?
I'm the Director of Women in Engineering, Recruitment and K-12 Outreach!
How did you become interested in computer science, and how did you get to where you are today?
I was the advisor for computer science major for over ten years. In this role, I met with hundreds of students and it was evident there were barely any women and other underrepresented students in the major. This spurred me and a colleague to help start a book club, which eventually became our MSU Women in Computing club. I also helped start a statewide conference called MICWIC and a non-profit organization, iTEC. The aim of these programs was to increase the diversity in CS. As a result of my work, the Dean created my current position and asked me to take on this role.
What's your favorite part about Spartan Girls Who Code?
I enjoy observing the mentor/mentee relationships. I also love to see the students getting excited as they are learning new concepts and gaining confidence.
What message would you like to leave with our students and mentors moving forward?
Dream big! Believe in your future, don't be afraid to ask for help along the way and utilize your networks. You will meet people who genuinely want you to succeed. Explore and learn CS. Computational literacy is a necessary skill for your future. Your ideas, thoughts and problem solving skills are needed at the table.
Thank you all for a great 10 weeks and we look forward to seeing you again next year! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 9
Working our Final Projects!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 9 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, students continued to work on their final project!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 4/21 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
2. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
3. GirlsGetMath@Dearborn
University of Michigan is offering an applied math summer camp this summer for high school girls who are interested in mathematics and would like to further their curiosity. It is called GirlsGetMath@Dearborn and takes place July 25, 2022 - July 28, 2022.
The program is free for all admitted students. The application deadline is May 31st. For more information, visit: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/ggmdearborn
4. The Joy of Coding
Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan is offering an online course that high school students can participate in this summer. It is called The Joy Of Coding and takes place June 22, 2022 - August 3, 2022.
The Joy of Coding online course has been specially created for anyone who wants to experience first-hand the power and thrill of coding computers to do amazing things. Created with high school students in mind, it is a great way for anyone to step into the wondrous world of coding. You’ll learn by doing and experience how coding powers apps such as Snapchat and TikTok.
The cost of the program is $99 plus tax per student. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, visit: https://joyofcoding.eecs.umich.edu/
5. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
6. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again on Saturday, 4/23 at 10a ET for our tenth SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will celebrating what we've learned this spring!
7. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we had the students share updates on their final projects.
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our spotlight, where our students learned about Gitanjali Rao, who created an app that helps test for lead in water before it is consumed.
Watch this video to learn more about Gitanjali Rao’s app, Tethys, and how shw was able to solve real-life problems!
Once our students finished sharing their thoughts on Gitanjali’s experiences and how those can inspire us, we jumped right into project work time.
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Teal Mentors this week!
Emily Goldwater
Jakob Therkelsen
Wendy Wu
Zainab Salah
What are you studying?
I am a second-year majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I took a class in high school and wanted to continue learning about computer science and pursue a career in it.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I programmed a game in one of my classes.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I am hoping to get a job as a software engineering at a big tech company!
What advice do you have for our students?
Work hard, but also take the time to do the things you enjoy!
What are you studying?
I am a fifth-year majoring in Computer Science Engineering with a cognate in environmental sustainability!
How did you become interested in computer science?
An intro CS class when I was in the business program at MSU.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I created an automated excel file generator that streamed data from a database to a deliverable report.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
Work on developing a startup after some experience in industry!
What advice do you have for our students?
Find something you're passionate with and learn something new everyday.
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I'm interested in game design so I choose computer science.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I did a project called battleship and each player can sign in to create own game or join other player's game.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope I can make my own game in the future.
What advice do you have for our students?
Try to let programming be a hobby not a pressure.
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Arabic!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I became interested in computer science after realizing
how flexible of a field it can be. Unlike many other STEM fields, computer science can be used for your own hobbies and interests.
That versatility is what drew me to it.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
My hobby is perfumery, so I started a website about different perfumery ingredients and my experiences with them!
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I want to bridge the gap between fragrances and technology. From designing bottles, finding ways to simulate
scents without having to waste ingredients and much more! There is a lot of work to be done in this area so
I’m excited to see what will happen.
What advice do you have for our students?
It is normal to be intimidated by new things but don't let
that hold you back from learning and growing. Ask questions, be flexible and stay curious.
We look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday, 4/23! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 8
Continuing on our Final Projects!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 8 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, students continued to work on their final project!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 4/14 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
2. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
3. GirlsGetMath@Dearborn
University of Michigan is offering an applied math summer camp this summer for high school girls who are interested in mathematics and would like to further their curiosity. It is called GirlsGetMath@Dearborn and takes place July 25, 2022 - July 28, 2022.
The program is free for all admitted students. The application deadline is May 31st. For more information, visit: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/ggmdearborn
4. The Joy of Coding
Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan is offering an online course that high school students can participate in this summer. It is called The Joy Of Coding and takes place June 22, 2022 - August 3, 2022.
The Joy of Coding online course has been specially created for anyone who wants to experience first-hand the power and thrill of coding computers to do amazing things. Created with high school students in mind, it is a great way for anyone to step into the wondrous world of coding. You’ll learn by doing and experience how coding powers apps such as Snapchat and TikTok.
The cost of the program is $99 plus tax per student. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, visit: https://joyofcoding.eecs.umich.edu/
5. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
6. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again on Saturday, 4/16 at 10a ET for our ninth SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will be reviewing all that we’ve learned so far!
7. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we reviewed what we’ve learned so far with a quick Kahoot!
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our spotlight, where our students learned about Ayanna Howard, a roboticist, who followed her passion to build robots to assist students with special needs.
Watch this video to learn more about Ayanna Howard’s inspiring journey!
Once our students finished sharing their thoughts on Ayanna’s experiences and how those can inspire us, we jumped right into project work time.
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Teal Lead Mentors this week!
Natalie Knisley
Sanaye Lewis
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year majoring in Mechanical Engineering!
How did you become interested in computer science?
My dad is a software developer and he encouraged me to take a Java
class my Sophomore year of high school.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I started a coding club at a local elementary school when I was a junior
in high school which I was able to teach again virtually during Fall 2020.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope I that I can continue with K-12 outreach.
What advice do you have for our students?
Believe that you can overcome and obstacles and continue to push forward.
What are you studying?
I am a first-year majoring in Computer Science!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I took an AP Computer Science course in high school, and I did Kode With Klossy
over the summer, and I loved it, which got me interested in coding.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I have created a mobile app that gives you a list of different dessert
recipes based on what region around the world you choose from as a way
to try desserts from different cultures.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I would like to get involved in research that uses computer science in a
cognitive science research area because I am very interested in doing interdisciplinary research.
What advice do you have for our students?
My advice is to have patience with yourself because learning new things can be
very difficult and frustrating at times and you will make lots of mistakes, but
in time you will grow, learn, and improve.
We look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday, 4/16! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 7
Starting our Final Project!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 7 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, we reviewed everything we have learned so far and started brainstorming for our final projects!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. No Meeting these next two Saturdays
We will not be meeting this Saturday (3/26), or next Saturday (4/2), due to Lansing Community Schools' spring break. Our next meeting will be 4/9.
2. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 3/24 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general! There will not be a Bonus Hour on 3/31.
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
3. Girls Who Code T-Shirts
We are planning on ordering Girls Who Code T-shirts for all of our students! Keep an eye out for an order form in your emails. Please have them filled out by Friday, 3/25 so that we are able to order the shirts in time! Note: The T-Shirts are adult sizes.
4. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
5. The Joy of Coding
Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan is offering an online course that high school students can participate in this summer. It is called The Joy Of Coding and takes place June 22, 2022 - August 3, 2022.
The Joy of Coding online course has been specially created for anyone who wants to experience first-hand the power and thrill of coding computers to do amazing things. Created with high school students in mind, it is a great way for anyone to step into the wondrous world of coding. You’ll learn by doing and experience how coding powers apps such as Snapchat and TikTok.
The cost of the program is $99 plus tax per student. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, visit: https://joyofcoding.eecs.umich.edu/
6. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
7. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again on Saturday, 4/9 at 10a ET for our eighth SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will be reviewing all that we’ve learned so far!
8. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we provided information about joining our club on Girls Who Code HQ and getting Girls Who Code T-shirts!
Next, we jumped right into an introduction to our final projects, and provided some websites with different layouts so they could see what kind of website that they wanted to make.
Our students had some awesome ideas for their websites!
- A Website with Dogs for Adoption
- A Website about their favorite Bands, Games, and Music
- A Book Website
- A Vacation Guide
- A Website about Dolphins
- And so many more amazing ideas!
After that, our students continued working on their exercises in CodeHS and brainstorm ideas for their final projects.
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Yellow Cohort Mentors this week!
Emily McNichol
Connor Mears
Jasmine Richardson
Tyler Gyulveszi
What are you studying?
I am a first-year majoring in Computational Data Science!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I first became interested in computer science when I saw my friend
remotely turn on a projector using code on a web page.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
The coolest thing I have done with code is visually represent correlations
between the data of traits of grapevines.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope I can one day code a portfolio webpage for myself!
What advice do you have for our students?
Make coding personalized to your own interests, there’s so much you can apply code to!
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year majoring in Computer Science with a Media & Information cognate!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I first got interested in computer science because I loved playing video games and
wanted to learn more about how they were made.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I made a website for my old pizza place I worked at when I was younger to
help customers find the menu and store hours easier.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to continue using my passion for coding to help inspire others to try it out,
with Girls Who Code and other outreach programs!
What advice do you have for our students?
Explore what you are curious about and interested in, and don't be afraid to ask for help!
What are you studying?
I am a third-year majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Information Technology!
How did you become interested in computer science?
Ever since I took my first coding class in my first year of university and I fell in love with it.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I was able to code an entire card game of Solitaire and created an android app used to centralize different class websites.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I want to be able to create my own game apps or work in a big tech company in product development.
What advice do you have for our students?
Keep going even if you are lost and keep expanding your knowledge do not keep yourself in a box.
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year majoring in Computer Science!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I was always fascinated about the inner workings of technology and wanted
to be a part of driving the future of technological advancement.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I've worked on developing some games with friends and large groups, which
is a ton of fun to collaborate with others and see from other people's perspectives!
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I would love to be a Software Engineer at a FANG Company that eventually starts
working with more hardware components or AI.
What advice do you have for our students?
Sometimes this field can be really demanding, but as long as you keep trying it will work out in the end!
Enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday, 4/9! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 6
Styling with CSS
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 6 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, we reviewed how to create lists and tables in HTML and added style to our websites with CSS!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. No Meeting this Saturday
We will not be meeting this Saturday (3/5), or next Saturday (3/12), due to MSU spring break. Our next meeting will be 3/19.
2. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 3/3 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
3. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
4. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
5. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again this Saturday, 3/19 at 10a ET for our seventh SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will be reviewing all that we’ve learned so far!
6. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we did an icebreaker where students shared how their week went through some of their favorite memes!
Once our students finished sharing their memes, we jumped right into a review of lists and tables and an introduction to CSS!
After that, our students continued working on their exercises in CodeHS.
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Yellow Cohort Leads this week!
Tatiana Voegerl
Jennifer Tran
What are you studying?
I am a second-year double majoring in Computer Science and Information Science with a minor in Spanish!
How did you become interested in computer science?
Ever since I was young, I’ve been playing with code and when I took my first programming class in high school I fell in love with computer science!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I helped code artificial intelligence that can play multiple different games.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
In the future, I'd like to inspire more young coders to pursue computer science and help create a welcoming environment in the industry.
What advice do you have for our students?
Don't be afraid to try something new; even if you don't succeed you can learn a lot!
What are you studying?
I am a third-year majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Korean!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I am a third-year majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Korean!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I've created 3D models of images at my previous internship!
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
In the future, I'm hoping to help make people's lives better with the power of coding.
What advice do you have for our students?
Don't ever feel like you're not meant to be here, chances are, there are many people who feel the same way
Enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing everyone again Saturday, 3/19! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 5
Lists, Rows, and Tables, oh my!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 5 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, we learned about how to create lists and tables in HTML!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 2/24 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
2. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
3. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
4. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again this Saturday, 2/26 at 10a ET for our fifth SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will be learning about lists and tables in HTML!
5. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we did an icebreaker where students shared some of their favorite traditions!
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our spotlight, where our students learned about Katherine Johnson, a mathematician at NASA who helped to land people on the moon.
Watch this interesting video on Katherine Johnson’s experiences at NASA
Once our students finished sharing their thoughts on Katherine’s experiences on being one of the first female NASA scientists and how it affects our lives today, we jumped right into a review of the content we have learned so far!
After that, our students continued working on their exercises in CodeHS, where they learned how to insert lists and tables into their websites. Below you can see some of the amazing websites our students have created!
Helisa H.
Jiahe A.
Two students showing off their favorite things in our "Table of Favorites" exercise!
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Black Cohort Mentors this week!
Christina Tagay
Elizabeth Lipin
Luz Alvarez
Ayo Osofisan
What are you studying?
I am a second-year majoring in computer science and minoring in business!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I became interested in computer science when I took my first coding class in high school.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I coded Solitaire for a class project.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to code my own game in the future.
What advice do you have for our students?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
What are you studying?
I am a first-year double majoring in computer science and psychology and minoring in Quantitative Data Analytics!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I have several computer scientists in my family so I took some classes at MSU at their urging and loved it!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I created a tower defense game where players try to pop balloons.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I'm hoping to work on creating artificial intelligence.
What advice do you have for our students?
Start by coding what you love and don't be afraid to try new things!!
What are you studying?
I am a first-year majoring in mechanical engineering!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I was involved in a summer program that included java script, and I was amazed how I create something with a program!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I was able to gather specific data from a website that collected covid-19 cases around the world.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I am looking forward to hopefully implement it in my future courses and career!
What advice do you have for our students?
Even in the worse of times, keep your head held up high and don't give up!
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year double majoring in biosystems engineering and zoology with a concentration in marine biology!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I first became interested in coding when I joined a robotics team my first year of high school and learned to program the robot to drive.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I 3D printed a brain and programmed it to light up the different parts of the brain.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to use coding to build a website for my future marine conservation program.
What advice do you have for our students?
Learning to code is a long process, so have fun with it and don’t take your mistakes too seriously.
Looking forward to seeing everyone again this Saturday! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 4
Time to Review!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 4 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, we learned about copyright and how to format and insert images on our webpages!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 2/17 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
2. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
3. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
4. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again this Saturday, 2/19 at 10a ET for our fifth SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will be learning about lists and tables in HTML!
5. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we did an icebreaker where students drew their favorite activities, animals, and more! We got to see some awesome sketches and heard about some really fun hobbies!
Sketches from the Yellow Cohort
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our spotlight, where our students learned how biases in algorithms can affect others. TED Talk speaker Joy Buolamwini explained how she has been working to combat this issue.
Watch this interesting TED Talk to learn more about bias in algorithms!
Once our students finished sharing their thoughts on algorithm bias and how it affects our lives, we jumped right into a review of the content we have learned so far!
After that, we continued with the HTML lessons that our students started last week on CodeHS, where they learned many different ways to format images and how to insert on their websites. They also learned the importance of copyright protection and how to select images that were marked for reuse. A few of our students' creations are shown below.
Helen A.
Zyphera K.
Two students showing off their favorite images in our "Make a Collage" exercise!
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting one of our Black Cohort Leads this week!
Trinity Johnson
What are you studying?
I am a second-year majoring in computer science and minoring in Japanese!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I've always been in love with everyday tech(phones, tablets, smart watches, etc.), and the thought of being able to help program one got me interested in computer science.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I went to a hackathon last year where my group and I created a random movie generator.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to create my own Android app one day!
What advice do you have for our students?
Never give up on yourself; take pride in what you've accomplished thus far!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again this Saturday! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 3
Creativity in Coding!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 3 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, we learned about copyright and how to format and insert images on our webpages!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Bonus Hour
This week's Bonus Hour will take place Thursday, 2/10 from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
2. Feedback
Us mentors are paying attention! This past week, we have left feedback for each one of our students. If you would like to see it, you can find that in CodeHS under one of your assignments! The assignment button will be colored pink or dark blue.
3. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Curious what STEM is all about beyond the classroom? Interested in how science, technology, engineering and mathematics can be used to solve problems and make our world a better place? Join us for the 7th annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day: Home Edition hosted by MSU's College of Engineering on Saturday, 2/26 from 1:30-3:30p ET! Registration is free to 4th-8th grade students, and closes on 2/11—more information about the program can be found at the registration link.
4. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
5. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again this Saturday, 2/12 at 10a ET for our fourth SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will be reviewing all that we’ve learned so far!
6. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we did an icebreaker where students shared their favorite part of their week – we heard that a lot of students had snow days over the snowstorm during the later part of the week.
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our spotlight, where our students saw a preview of two different careers in the world of computer science. Interviews with Brina, a software engineer and Polina, a data scientist, that explored how they were introduced to the world of computer science and what they do at their current job today.
Watch these short videos to learn about two very different careers in computer science!
Once our students finished sharing their thoughts on some different computer science careers, we jumped right into a quick review of the last two weeks of content!
After that, we continued with the HTML lessons that our students started last week on CodeHS, where they learned many different ways to format images and how to insert on their websites. They also learned the importance of copyright protection and how to select images that were marked for reuse. A few of our students' creations are shown below.
Chiara P.
Leyli S.
Two students showing off their favorite images in our "Make a Collage" exercise!
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Navy Cohort Mentors this week!
Sanju Kona
Oyendrila Dobe
Morghane McAnelly
What are you studying?
I am a first-year majoring in computer science!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I took a computer science class in high school and really enjoyed the problem solving aspect!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I created a basic fitness app.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to code a game app in the future.
What advice do you have for our students?
Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try new things!
What are you studying?
I am a fourth-year PhD student in Computer Science and Engineering!
How did you become interested in computer science?
The idea that I'll be able to learn a language through which I can communicate with a machine (non-human friend) excited me!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I have done research on automatically detecting brain tumors from MRI scan images and written programs to check if other
programs are correct (much like the 'check code' button on codehs)!
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I am currently trying to automatically find which combination of genes can lead to certain forms of cancer.
What advice do you have for our students?
Find out what you really care about, what problems bother you, work on finding solutions to them. Your ideas, no matter how small, MATTER!
What are you studying?
I am a second-year majoring in computer science!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I took a coding class and fell in love with coding to solve problems!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I am currently in the process of creating an app for MSU students.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to fix biased algorithms so everyone can get the proper medical care they need.
What advice do you have for our students?
When you have an issue, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Looking forward to seeing everyone again this Saturday! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 2
Coding is Cool!
We were so excited to see all of your students’ enthusiasm as we wrapped up Week 2 of our Spring 2022 Spartan Girls Who Code Program! This week, we learned how to format text and insert links on our webpages!
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Bonus Hour
Bonus Hours will continue throughout the program on Thursday's from 7:00-8:00p ET and is open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
2. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
3. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again this Saturday, 2/5 at 10a ET for our third SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will review last week's material and begin learning about images in webpages!
4. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
To start off this week, we did a fun “Show and Tell” icebreaker, where students shared some of their favorite keepsakes – we saw some awesome instruments, books, collections, and even met some adorable pets! Ask your student what they shared!
After our ice breaker, we went directly to our spotlight, where our students saw a preview of all that's possible in the wide world of computer science through this week's spotlight video. Interviews with Bill Gates, Will. I. Am., Mark Zuckerberg, and others underscored the importance of learning to code in the year 2022!
Hear for yourselves what computer science can accomplish!
Once our students finished sharing their amazing ideas for some future coding projects, we jumped right into a quick Kahoot! review of last week’s content!
After that, we continued with the HTML lessons that our students started last week on CodeHS where they learned many different ways to format text and how to insert on their websites.
We ended things with small mentor-student group discussions, reflecting on what went well, what was challenging, and what students are looking forward to at next Saturday's session. Responses to our weekly feedback survey were again quite positive, but don't hesitate to reach out to info@spartangwc.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
Continuing our mentor spotlight series, we are highlighting our Navy Cohort Leads this week!
Anna Clark
Najiha Jaigirdar
What are you studying?
I am a second-year majoring in Computational Data Science and Mathematics!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I became interested in Computer Science through my high school robotics team.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
For a class project, I have made card games like solitaire!
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to work with cybersecurity and keep working with computer science outreach.
What advice do you have for our students?
Don’t be afraid to ask any questions… everyone here is trying to help you achieve your goals!
What are you studying?
I am a second-year majoring in Computer Engineering with a minor in Graphic Design!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I participated in a girls who code club when I was in high school.
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
For a class project, I coded a cryptocurrency market.
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I hope to keep getting better at coding and be able to teach more people.
What advice do you have for our students?
Being a lifelong learner is one of the most fulfilling identities you could possibly have.
Looking forward to seeing everyone again this Saturday! :)
-The SGWC Team
Week 1
Let's Begin!
We kicked off the Spring 2022 version of Spartan Girls Who Code on Saturday with enthusiastic students and incredible mentors — we hope your student is just as excited as we are for the coming weeks!
We as a club are so excited to introduce the world of coding to your student! Computer science and programming is all around us in everything we do, and it is so much fun to learn! During this course, we want all students to remember that they are learning something new, it might be challenging at times. But! — learning to overcome those challenges and how to have fun with it is just as important as learning the material. We hope your student keeps this in mind as we continue throughout the program.
Before we dive into a full recap of Saturday's meeting, we'd like to share a few announcements.
Announcements
- Zoom Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92450527619 (password is same as the one for your Cohort Zoom)
1. Participant Pre-Survey
Students were encouraged to fill out the 2022 SGWC Participant Pre-Survey at Saturday's meeting, but not everyone submitted their responses. If your student has not yet completed the pre-survey, please have them do so before this Saturday's meeting.
2. Bonus Hour
Continuing as a Technovation and Girls Who Code tradition, we'll be hosting a SGWC "bonus hour" every Thursday from 7:00-8:00p ET (beginning this Thursday, 1/27) open to all SGWC participants. SGWC mentors will be available on Zoom during the bonus hour to resolve technical difficulties, dive deeper into the coding concepts we've learned, or to talk about computer science in general!
Use the Zoom link below to join us for a bonus hour of fun each week. The password for our bonus hour will always be the same as the password from the previous Saturday's meeting (sent via email only).
3. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
The national organization of Girls Who Code is offering free, virtual summer opportunities for high school students from June 17 - August 12, and the application is OPEN.
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week intro computer science course for 9th-11th graders. You will learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting an inside look into the tech industry through company sponsors.
The Self-Paced Program is a flexible computer science course for 9th-12th graders who prefer not to adhere to a strict schedule. Participants can choose to earn beginner-level badges in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web development) or an intermediate-level badge in Python (for cybersecurity). Students will also have the chance to build a community through weekly sessions and Girls Who Code activities.
If you are interested, the application linked above only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and doesn't require GPA, transcripts, or recommendations!
4. Looking Ahead
We'll see you again this Saturday, 1/29 at 10a ET for our second SGWC meeting of the spring, where we will review last weeks material and begin learning about text + links in webpages!
5. Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions / concerns / ideas / feedback to info@spartangwc.org.
Meeting Recap
Mentors welcomed participants in their Cohort Zoom rooms, and as students rolled in mentor-student bonding had already begun! As much as we miss seeing everyone in person at the Engineering Building on MSU's campus, we loved seeing some students turn their cameras on and start engaging with the mentors!
To kick things off, each cohort participated in an Icebreaker via Google Jamboard — a collaborative and digital whiteboard where students can share their answers on virtual sticky notes. We used it as an opportunity begin getting to know the students and the mentors by having questions and would-you-rather statements to answer as a group! We got great student engagement and found out some cool information about our cohorts.
One of our Jamboards from the Navy Cohort - all very good ideas!
Following the icebreaker, participants completed a program pre-survey which will help us evaluate and improve SGWC in future years. We've learned a lot from pre- and post-surveys in past years—we truly appreciate our participants' thoughtful feedback! If your student did not complete the pre-survey, please encourage them to do so at this link.
Next, each cohort collaborated to write a club contract setting goals and expectations for future meetings, and set up CodeHS accounts for use in the coming weeks. We'll be working through the "Web Design (Matisse)" course offered by CodeHS!
A couple of the cohort club contracts - looking good!
Finally, we encouraged participants to fill out an end-of-meeting survey to gauge comfort with Zoom and CodeHS, and received overwhelmingly positive responses! It's always scary to try something new, so we were glad to hear students that the students got off to a good start. That said, we want to make sure everyone has a great time at SGWC this spring—so if you're having issues with anything, please send us an email at info@spartangwc.org.
Mentor Spotlight
SGWC is led, organized, and run by MSU students with the help of Teresa Isela Vandersloot, Dr. Laura Dillon and Dr. Marilyn Wulfekulher, and we thought it would be fun to introduce a few of our team members each week.
To kick off our mentor spotlight series, we'd like to introduce the Spring 2022 Lead Mentors!
Averi Justice
Sophie Martin
What are you studying?
I am a fourth year majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Spanish!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I took Java as an elective my sophomore year in high school and found it very challenging but fun!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
One of my favorite memories is creating and teaching a summer coding camp in my hometown with fellow mentor Natalie K :)
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
I don’t have any specific project I plan to work on but I hope to continue doing Computer Science outreach wherever I end up!
What advice do you have for our students?
You don’t always have to be good at your hobbies as long as you love doing them — keep at it and you will get better!
What are you studying?
I'm a senior majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Graphic Design!
How did you become interested in computer science?
I became interested in computer science my freshman year of high school where I took an Intro to Web Design course
and learned how to make websites — very similar to what our students are doing this spring!
What's something cool you've done with computer science?
I've built a personal website and a website version of the boardgame "Sorry!"
What are you hoping to do with computer science in the future?
In the future I'm hoping to continue working on websites and learn more about design & user experience!
What advice do you have for our students?
Always ask questions — the mentors are here to help YOU!
Thanks for making last Saturday a blast, everyone. We can't wait to see you this Saturday!
-The SGWC Team
SGWC Is Virtual
In accordance with current MSU policy for Youth Programs, SGWC will be offered in a fully-remote format. Beginning 1/22 and ending 4/23, meetings will be Saturday mornings from 10a-12p except for 3/5 & 3/12 (MSU spring break) and 3/26 & 4/2 (LSD spring break), for a total of 10 meetings.
Join us as we embark on a coding adventure, and prepare to have a blast!
Founded in 2018, Spartan Girls Who Code is an MSU student-led coding club introducing 6-12th grade students to the wide world of computer science. Combining lessons in web development using HTML and CSS with guest speakers and social activities, SGWC is more than just another extracurricular — it's a community. We believe coding should be fun, and we aim to make it so!
Program Details
- Free
- Fully virtual
- 10 meetings: Saturdays beginning 1/22, ending 4/23, excluding 3/5, 3/12, 3/26 and 4/2, from 10a-12p
- Meetings held synchronously via Zoom
- Zoom link and passcode sent by email on Friday before each meeting to the email address(es) provided at registration
- Questions? Reach out to us at info@spartangwc.org
If you don't know how to code, we'll teach you. If you do know how to code, we'll teach you to code better.
SGWC is a program for everyone—anybody can learn to code!
We'll see you soon. In the meantime, stay healthy, stay safe, and stay positive — like Sparty!
–The SGWC Team
Prior Clubs
Check out what students accomplished in prior offerings of SGWC.
Spring 2021 SGWC
Spring 2020 SGWC
Spring 2019 SGWC
Spring 2018 SGWC
* In achieving its goals, Spartan Girls Who Code does not unlawfully discriminate. All events and programs are open to students of all genders.