Newspaper Page Text
GIRLS WHO CODE
First summer immersion program coming to Atlanta
Special
Girls Who Code Atlanta is offering its first summer immersion
program this year with a deadline to sign up on March 1. Girls
will learn from experts and leaders in the field of computer sci
ence, robotics, web design and mobile development during the
seven-week workshop.
By Dyana Bagby
High school students interested in
computer science are being offered a
fun and exciting way to learn about the
industry seriously in need of girl power.
Girls Who Code, a national
nonprofit, is actively recruiting girls
to participate in its first summer
immersion program in Atlanta with
March 1 as the deadline to sign up. The
workshop will be held in Midtown from
June 6 to July 22.
“This is for young women in STEM
(Science Technology Engineering
Mathematics) ... and we’re seeking to
offer fair representation in these fields,”
said Arlene Persuad, spokesperson for
Atlanta’s Girls Who Code program.
There are 60 spots open in Atlanta’s
summer program.
The summer immersion program
BeltLine announces
lighting campaign
The Atlanta BeltLine has launched “Light the Line,” a campaign to raise $1.1 million
to install lighting along the Eastside Trail.
Crowdfunding will be used to install the lights, which would be placed along the 2.3
mile segment that connects Krog Street Market to Piedmont Park.
During the construction phase of the trail, conduit was installed to support lights in
the future. The BeltLine has designed a lighting plan that calls for 130 low-energy LED
path lights every 90 feet. Funding for lighting will be built into the budget for future
BeltLine trail segments.
Jamestown, developers of Ponce City Market, has agreed to contribute $100, 000 to
the campaign.
Of the $1.1 million campaign goal, $990,000 or 90 percent of the total, will go
directly to the purchase and installation of the 130 lights. Of the remaining budget,
$100,000 will help support BeltLine programming on the Eastside Trail, including free
fitness classes and Art on the Atlanta BeltLine installations, and $10,000 will go toward
campaign management expenses.
The public can make donations and find more information by visiting lighttheline.
org. OS
is a seven-week workshop where
participants will learn about computer
science, robotics, web design and
mobile development. There will be
presentations from women who are
engineers and entrepreneurs, and top
women executives will also provide
career and academic mentorship.
“They will be building and creating,”
Persuad said.
Founded in 2012 by Reshma Saujani,
Girls Who Code seeks to close the
gender gap in computer coding. Today,
women represent only 18 percent of
all computer science graduates, down
significantly from 37 percent in 1984.
The summer immersion program is
free, but in January Saujani announced
$1 million in scholarships for girls to
attend, thanks to partnerships with
dozens of corporations, including
Amazon, Facebook, Pixar Animation
Studios and Twitter.
The scholarships will go toward
helping cover transportation costs and
also replace loss wages for girls who
have summer jobs.
“We are reaching out directly
to high school principals, guidance
counselors, parents, clubs and other
youth programs. And we are specifically
reaching out to minority students and
low-income students,” said Persuad.
Girls Who Code’s summer
immersion program is now in 11 cities
and offered to 1,560 girls, a jump from
just 20 girls in New York during its
inaugural year.
“This incredible expansion shows
the technology sector has finally woken
up to its gender gap problem and is
moving quickly to show many more
young women they have a future in the
industry,” said Saujani in a statement.
“I want to thank all of our partners
who are as committed as we are to
reversing long-held assumptions
about what an engineer should be, and
opening up many new doors for women
across the nation.”
For more information and to
register, visit girlswhocode.com. ESI
CbuiseOne'
Dream Vacations fjirt
INDEPENDENT
VACATION SPECIALIST
DISCOVER THE CRUISEONE DIFFERENCE
Personal Service and the Lowest Price.
Book Your Next Cruise or Resort Vacation with Me!
Elite Vacations and Cruises
Atlanta, GA
(877) 225-9270
(404) 220-8485
elitevacationsandcruises.com
CA 2006278-40, FLST 35829, IA 655, WA 601698664, NV 2005-0073. © CruiseOne
AtlantalNtownPaper.com
February 2016 | INtOWll 5