Selected
Gender Equity in STEM Challenge

Code Girls United

We build career pathways for 4th-12th grade rural and tribal girls across Montana through leadership skills, self-empowerment, coding, technology, business.

Team Leader
Marianne Smith
We build career pathways for 4th-12th grade rural and tribal girls across Montana through leadership skills, self-empowerment, coding, technology, business.

The Problem

There is a lack of opportunities and encouragement for young women to become engaged in STEM, particularly in Computer Science. Only 22% of the STEM workforce is female. Our state, Montana, does not require Computer Science in K-12 education, further leaving our girls unprepared for their future education and careers.

The Solution

Code Girls United provides free, after school programs that promote social-emotional learning, career readiness, and tools for self-sufficiency. We help rural and Native girls from low-income areas across Montana improve their social mobility by equipping them with the education and resources they need for future success in STEM related fields through our After School Coding & Business Program.

Our students meet once a week after-school throughout the school year. In the first half of the school year, new participants are taught the fundamentals of computer science and coding using MIT's Appinventor, while returning participants are taught more in-depth lessons in computer science and learn advanced programming concepts. In the second half of the year, the girls are split into teams and tasked with identifying a community need, creating a business framework for their community service project, and developing an app as a solution to the community problem.

Stats

2,185 girls have attended Code Girls United's programs since its inception.

What is the name of your organization?
Code Girls United
What is the name of your solution?
Code Girls United
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
We build career pathways for 4th-12th grade rural and tribal girls across Montana through leadership skills, self-empowerment, coding, technology, business.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Kalispell
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
United States
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
There is a lack of opportunities and encouragement for young women to become engaged in STEM, particularly in Computer Science. Only 22% of the STEM workforce is female. Our state, Montana, does not require Computer Science in K-12 education, further leaving our girls unprepared for their future education and careers.
What is your solution?
Code Girls United provides free, after school programs that promote social-emotional learning, career readiness, and tools for self-sufficiency. We help rural and Native girls from low-income areas across Montana improve their social mobility by equipping them with the education and resources they need for future success in STEM related fields through our After School Coding & Business Program. Our students meet once a week after-school throughout the school year. In the first half of the school year, new participants are taught the fundamentals of computer science and coding using MIT's Appinventor, while returning participants are taught more in-depth lessons in computer science and learn advanced programming concepts. In the second half of the year, the girls are split into teams and tasked with identifying a community need, creating a business framework for their community service project, and developing an app as a solution to the community problem.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our programs are designed for 4th-12 grade girls from rural and tribal communities across Montana. Currently 72% of our participants qualify for free or reduced lunch programs, 92% qualify as rural, and 21% identify as Native American. The barriers to economic security for our demographics include limited access to educational and employment opportunities, as well as lack of resources and infrastructure to support economic mobility. Code Girls United is addressing the lack of educational opportunities with Computer Science since it is not a requirement in the state of Montana, and helping to provide mentorship and guidance for more economically prosperous future opportunities in the technology sector.

Organization Type:
Nonprofit

Headquarters:
Kalispell, MT, United States

Stage:
Scale

Working In:
United States

Solution Website:
https://www.codegirlsunited.org

Solution Team:
Marianne Smith
Marianne Smith
Executive Director