#Middlebury
Random Hacks of Kindness Jr. (rhokjr.org) is hosting a virtual hackathon focusing on gender equity in STEM Saturday, March 13, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It is open to students in grades 4 through 8.
Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past 15 years, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science. At present, fewer than 30% of researchers worldwide are women. Globally, female students’ enrollment is particularly low in information and communication technology (3%), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5%) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8%).
Random Hacks of Kindness Junior will design and code apps addressing girls’ place in the STEM field. Together with mentors, participants will have the opportunity to create apps that highlight the importance of inspiring and engaging women and girls in science, technology, engineering and math. Using Zoom, students will work in pairs with mentors (students from CCSU’s Computer Science Club) to create prototype smartphone apps (using the online app block programming language, APP LAB from Code.org). This event is open to the public and requires no prior coding experience.
RHoK Jr. is a great opportunity for high school and college students studying computer science to mentor and inspire young students while giving nonprofit groups a technological boost. It was developed by Patrice Gans as an opportunity to empower and inspire youth to use technology for social good. Gans, a technology educator, organized the first Random Hacks of Kindness Jr. event at the Fraser Woods Montessori School in Newtown in May 2013. Since then close to 1,500 students from across Connecticut have come together to create apps for nonprofits in their communities.
“Our events are geared to providing students with opportunities in computer programming in schools, after-school programs, and other settings,” Gans said. “Coding is more than a computer game,” she added. “Technology really has a purpose.”
Pre-registration is required. The registration fee for the event is $10. Participants may register by going to rhokjr.org. For additional information, contact Patrice Gans at pbgans@rhokjr.org.
