NSU Girls Who Code Club 2019

Girls Who Code Club receives grant to buy Chromebooks

ABERDEEN, S.D. – A group of middle school and high school students meets once a week at the Northern State University library to learn coding – and confidence.

It’s the NSU Girls Who Code Club, where members are encouraged to explore new coding programs without fear.

“Being brave is a big part of Girls Who Code,” said Lynn Klundt.

In 2017, Klundt and fellow NSU librarian Kristin Echtenkamp started the club, which is completely free and open to middle school and high school students from the Aberdeen region. The organization is growing locally, with 10 girls age 11-14 now participating.

Thanks to a $2,480 grant from the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation, the club was recently able to purchase Chromebooks for each member of the club to work on in Williams Library.

Club Growing Nationally

Girls Who Code, a national organization, is also growing on a larger scale. When Northern’s club started as a chapter of the national organization, there was one other South Dakota club; now, they stretch across the state from Rapid City to Sioux Falls, Echtenkamp said.

At last week’s meeting, the girls were working on the club’s current project: creating quiz games using a program called Scratch. Last year the group used a program called Codesters that taught them how to code in Python. Every year they have a different project learning different skills, Klundt said.

Students work on things based on skill level, with the more experienced coders helping newer students.

This spring at the end of the session, there will be a reception at the library for family and friends where the girls can show off the quiz games they’ve created.

Skills Important for Future

The coding skills they’re learning through the club are important for potential future careers.

“Right now these girls are probably going to end up having jobs that don’t even exist yet,” Klundt said. “Knowing this skillset is going to help them.”

Being willing to try something new will also help them – and the students are encouraged to dive in and explore the program with confidence.

“Don’t be afraid to make a mistake,” Echtenkamp encouraged.

Right now the group is at capacity, but people are welcome to contact the librarians with questions. The club is also open to the help and expertise of Northern students with coding abilities. To learn more, contact Lynn.klundt@northern.edu or Kristin.Echtenkamp@northern.edu.

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions

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