GEMS computer night inspires learning about computer science
Girls work with Ms. Kathleen Connelly and Mr. Scott Nettesheim, computer science teachers, and Fiona Grady, senior, to learn how to code a program. A presentation was given to demonstrate how to work the simple coding applications. “I think that all of us volunteers had just as much fun as the middle schoolers did!” Anna Kornreich, senior and GEMS member, said.
The Girls Exploring Math and Science club (GEMS) hosted a computer night in order to increase the number of women going into the fields of computer science.
On Wednesday, May 25, the GEMS club hosted an event called Computer Night 2.0. The club asked female students to come to Mr. Paul Sivanich’s room in order to “come learn some super fun code,” Sophie Smith, senior, said, asking girls to simply come and learn about the world of computer science.
Initially, the 25 attendees spent about an hour learning about coding through the online program of Code Academy. More specifically, the girls learned about basic computer animation using the Hour of Code program provided by Code Academy.
After the hour was up, the girls took a well-deserved break to eat dinner and watch a movie. The dinner was world-famous Out n’ Out mac n’ cheese for the main meal. “It was yummy,” Bridget Woody, senior, said jokingly. After that the club sat down to watch the movie The Imitation Game.
The movie tells a story of a gifted team of code-crackers who work on solving the Germans’ enigma code during World War II. The story also follows a young female lead named Joan Clarke who, as a woman in a world of men, must prove her worth over and over again simply to be accepted by her team.
The GEMS club feels that the struggle of Clarke mimics the struggle that modern-day women face in the world of computer science. Women are underrepresented in the field. Only 4.8 percent of bachelor’s degrees in computer sciences were awarded to women, according to the National Girls Collaborative Project, which encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
While the club realizes that it may not persuade all of its members to pursue a career in computer science, Woody feels that the effort was worth it. She said that she was “happy so many girls were interested in coming out and learning about coding and computer science since women are so underrepresented in that field.” Overall, Woody says that every little effort to spread the word helps.
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