Girls in Tech KC

In the short-term you can:

• Unleash your creativity in a whole new way
• Use computing power to solve real-world problems
• Make new connections

In the long-term you can find:

• Jobs that pay 33% more than average
• More career options as this field is growing faster than average
• Opportunities to make a difference in the world!

Lincoln Prep student Mame Dia discovered the power of computing through her high school robotics team:

Ruby Rios turned her interest in coding into a passion for encouraging more girls to get involved in STEM. Here she shares her story for an INK 30 Under 30 Award in 2017:

Erin Smith dipped into tech by building a simple Android app as a preteen. But after she began brainstorming some real-world solutions to help patients with Parkinson’s Disease, she knew she needed even more computing power:

This video, a collaborative project of the National Center for Women & IT (NCWIT) and Televisa Foundation, features the powerful stories of  Latinas from diverse backgrounds and environments who share a passion for technology and its power to change the world.

Do you code? Are you enrolled in a computer science class? On the robotics team? We need your help to encourage others to join in the #GirlsinTechKC movement.

Here’s how:

• Share what you’re doing or inspiring things you find online with #GirlsinTechKC
• Find other girls and women in the tech community with some of these popular hashtags:
  #WomeninTech
  #girlswhocode
  #stemsquad
  #techie
  #codinglife

Share your tech story or nominate someone who inspires you!

Kansas City has multiple avenues for introducing girls to tech. Options include:

• Project Lead the Way’s computer science curriculum is available in many area school districts: https://www.pltw.org/pltw-computer-science. If this curriculum is not available in your district, talk to your principal about it. Also make sure to encourage girls to take as much math as possible, even in senior year.
• Kansas City Women in Technology’s Coding and Cupcakes and CoderDojoKC.
• Girls Who Code Clubs around the metro (search by zip code to find an existing club or start one of your own!).

If you’re a woman working in computer science/technology, you have a unique opportunity to share your experiences with girls in Kansas City.

Here are a few opportunities to explore:

• KC STEM Alliance pairs students with workplaces each year for Computer Science Education Week for coding experiences with female mentors. Ask your leadership if your organization is participating!
• WeCodeKC introduces coding for kids through project-based or game development learning.
• Kansas Women in Technology offers year-round programming to introduce young people to coding. The Coding & Cupcakes program is designed to reach girls specifically.
• KC STEM Alliance’s Mentor Makers program covers all STEM areas and focuses on matching middle and high school girls with female STEM professionals for a series of hands-on activities throughout the school year.

Girls in Tech KC is a local movement to encourage girls to explore the power of computer science in three ways:

• Hands-on experience through special events and ongoing programs;
• Connecting with female mentors in person; and
• A social media campaign to build awareness.

Women remain under-represented in all STEM fields, but especially so in computing occupations, where women represent only 26 percent of professional positions even though they hold 57 percent of professional occupations overall.

Recognizing the climbing demand for a talented and diverse tech workforce in Kansas City, #GirlsinTechKC kicked off in late 2015 with sponsorships from the Skillbuilders Fund, Women’s Foundation and Cerner, plus a support from a host of in-kind partners.

The work continues with KC STEM Alliance partners opening their workplaces for middle school girls each December for an Hour of Code experience.