Founded by the same women who introduced Ladies Learning Code in 2011, Girls Learning Code is less about “code” and more about changing the world – through teamwork, creativity, and, of course, technology. After a successful March Break camp, we’ve decided to respond to numerous requests from both campers and parents and offer a summer program in 2012. For a week in July and a week in August, 40 of Toronto’s most creative 9-13 year old girls will join us to participate in the city’s only all-girls technology camp. Hosted by Mozilla, and supported by some of the coolest technology companies, this camp experience is designed to help girls see technology in a whole new light – as a medium for self-expression, and as a means for changing the world.

Program Objectives:

We want to help girls:

1. Discover a passion for learning about technology
2. Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a builder – not just consumer – of the web and technology
3. Become more confident and self-assured
4. Develop a willingness to try new things
5. Increase their knowledge of technology-related careers

…all while having fun!

Camp Details:

Theme: Changing the World

Theme: Games that Change the World

(This week will feature new curriculum, ideal for campers who attended our March Break camp, as well as girls who are new to Girls Learning Code.)

What campers will learn and do:

• Work with a partner to come up with an idea for a game, and design & create it using MIT’s Scratch!
• Learn how to bring your drawings and illustrations to life using a program like Photoshop (we’ll be using the free version, called Gimp)
• Learn enough HTML & CSS to create a webpage about your game (you can share it with your friends, if you want!)
• Participate in one or more field trips to cool technology companies (in March, we visited Google!)
• Present (with their team and a microphone) each day, to practice for a big presentation for the community on the final day of camp (parents and family are invited!)
• Play (offline) games and make crafts
• Plus much, much more!

What Makes Girls Learning Code Different?

Girls Learning Code has been designed specifically with girls in mind, by the team who founded Ladies Learning Code. When developing plans and curriculum for the camp, we keep in mind a recurrent theme in research on gender and technology: girls approach the computer as a “tool” useful primarily for what it can do; boys more often view the computer as a “toy” or an extension of the self. Thus, the theme of each week will be “Changing the World” and technology will be used as the means, not the end.

Check out this video of our last Girls Learning Code camp. Or this one.

What parents say about Girls Learning Code:

“My daughter went to the camp without a clear understanding of what a tech camp for girls was but was pleasantly surprised by the experience. She enjoyed every single day at the camp and showed great enthusiasm about the topic she and her group chose to present. I would not hesitate to send her to another tech camp with LLC whenever the opportunity arises.”

“My daughter wasn’t sold on the idea of attending a “technology camp” for March Break. By the second day she was raving about how much fun she was having AND how much she was learning. What a great combination!”

“I learned about Girls Learning Code from the Toronto Star. I looked into it and I thought it was such a great opportunity for my daughter to be exposed in the field of technology. I was really happy that she went to Girls Learning Code because she was introduced to different programming languages, exposed to companies like Google and Mozilla and had to work with different girls she’s never met before. I wish my older daughter who is now in first year university had the same opportunity as her sister.”

“This was a great iniative that is needed to encourage females to become leaders in computer technology field. It was inspiring for my daughter to visit Google, to see a modern office space, to see a bilingual women in a leading position at Google. This camp provided a perspective to girls that they not only can play and use technology, they can design, create and become leaders in technology.”

“My daughter had a blast, the other campers were a great bunch of girls, they learned, grew and had fun. The venue was well chosen, the balance of activities was good. The extra little touches of caring were noticable and appreciated. The camp was down to earth and unpretentious but the counsellors took their jobs seriously. A+. I will recommend to other parents.”