A statewide network of museums and nature centers, among other things, is planning to launch a program aimed at helping girls learn about jobs in the technology and science industry.
"Girls Who Code" clubs will launch in 10 rural counties across North Carolina. NC Science Trails, the statewide network, is partnering with nonprofit Girls Who Code International on the initiative.
The clubs will be set up into semesters and held at places like neighborhood Boys and Girl Clubs or libraries, said Michele Houck, the founder of NC Science Trails.
“They'll come in on a weekly or biweekly schedule, and they will have some kind of fun project to do, and they'll work on that project there,” she said. “And you know, they might have a speaker. They might have a field trip.”
Girls Who Code will form clubs in these counties:
- Union
- Johnston
- Edgecombe
- Person
- Cabarrus
- Lincoln
- Polk
- Cherokee
- Haywood
- Pamlico
The hands-on clubs will be broken down into age groups. Houck said there will be groups for elementary school kids, middle school kids, and then older kids.
“And what their focus is, to learn coding, to learn about AI and cybersecurity, but also to create this community of where it's okay to be a science or an IT girl,” she said.
The first club is expected to start in Pamlico County in January and expand to the other rural counties by the end of next year. Those locations include Johnston, Edgecombe, Person, and Cherokee. Houck said that moving forward, she would like to have Girls Who Code clubs at all 65 NC Science Trail locations.
