2021 Poster – Expanding Code SciGirls Camp to Engage African American Girls

This poster was presented at the 2021 NSF AISL Awardee Meeting.

Since 2006, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) through the Center for Integrating Research and Learning (CIRL) has offered a SciGirls Summer Camp to introduce middle school girls to various fields of science. Code: SciGirls was created in 2017 to increase the engagement in computer science studies and career paths for girls. This consistent commitment to girls in STEM led the SciGirls creators at Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) to invite CIRL to be a partner with them. In the summer of 2021, CIRL & TPT partnered with Florida A&M University Developmental Research School (FAMU DRS), to offer this coding experience to underrepresented minority middle school girls. The coding camp was led by Brooke Hobbes, with African-American role models that spoke on the importance of gender equitable computer science instruction, the impact of coding in all fields of science, and empowered the girls with experiences and best practices to welcome, prepare and build their identity in coding. The camp was held virtually due to COVID-19 over 5 days in July 2021.