The South Dakota State Library is excited to announce our Clubs Community Partnership with Girls Who Code! Our mission is to integrate connected learning and computational thinking (recognizing if there is a pattern and determining the sequence) into library programming.
Not technical? Not a problem. Anyone can start a club regardless of experience! Girls Who Code provide support to run a successful club for girls and boys. “Our Girls Who Code Clubs are free programs for 3-5th and 6th-12th graders to learn computer science… using tech to change the world!” – Girls Who Code
Step One: Visit the Girls Who Code Website - Get Involved/Start a Club
Step Two: Present the information to your Library Board and other Library Staff
Step Three: Complete a Girls Who Code application and be approved
Step Four: Receive free books from the South Dakota State Library while supplies last!
Don’t just take our word for it! Leola School District started a Girls Who Code Club in the 2019-20 school year called Girl Power! The club was led by Wendi Hatlewick, 4th grade teacher, and it encompassed grades 3rd-5th. Thirteen girls met at recess to work on coding curriculum provided by the Girls Who Code nonprofit organization.
Wendi got the idea to start the club when attending a Technology In Education (TIE) training. Wendi was eager to start even though she had no coding experience. “You don’t need to know anything about coding to lead a club because everything is provided for you!” stated Wendi. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the club was postponed but it will begin again this October. “The girls are all wearing their Girls Who Code shirts and asking when can we meet again," says Ms. Hatlewick.
