In the middle of a year of unrest and uncertainly we found a fun refuge for a group of girls to play in the digital and reality realms of life! Our group was able to meet Friday’s at a local church/coffee shop where they provided a huge indoor ballroom space and plenty of outdoor space to gather. Weekly we worked through the Girls Who Code curriculum and learned new ways of building code in Scratch.
We started with all our COVID policies in place in the fall. Masks, distancing and user only computers. This helped us navigate one of the worst societal impacts of their lives and keep them safe. For a few meetings we had to utilize Zoom and could work together and share our screens. The girls grew in their neuro-flexiblity and responded well to all our adjusting along the way. As the surge of cases diminished we resumed in person. This time using more outdoor space and sharing of tables and interactive joy. Having a club that is as versatile and flexible made life for these girls feel normal and empowering.
Over the weeks we spoke a lot about the words we use, the tools we create and how this all serves our community. They learned how it impacts their own lives for the best. For instance using “thank you” more often than “sorry,” when responding to the day to day life interactions with friends. Collaboration now has meaning, while conditional, loops and logic all have a significant role in our daily lives. This type of gained knowledge and experience was powerful in the girls eyes and it is my hope that it continues to be built upon.