Through a partnership between the Harford County Public Library and Harford County Office of Information and Communication Technology, middle school girls in grades 6-8 are being offered a chance to take an innovative new computer workshop “Craft the Code” which will teach them computer coding skills with a focus on fashion and design. As announced in a Harford County news release:

Craft the Code! participants will use laptop computers from the library’s new Innovation Lab to learn how to program a computer and apply science skills to create, solve problems, tell stories and make things happen with technology.

The series of eight classes will use Google CS First’s Fashion & Design materials, which will teach participants how computer science and technology are used in the fashion industry. They will build fashion-themed programs, such as a fashion walk, a stylist tool and a pattern maker.

The sessions will be lead by Kelly Mills, a library educator from Harford County Public Library, and Dawn Haag, programmer analyst II – applications team lead, from Harford County Government.

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“There are efforts nationwide to close this gender gap by encouraging young women to explore software coding before they discount it as a career option. With this workshop, and hopefully future ones to follow, Harford County is acting locally to create an environment where knowledge-based workers can thrive,” [Ted] Pibil [director of the Harford County Office of Information and Communication Technology] said.

The workshops will be held at the Abingdon Library from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on October 6-9 and October 13-16.

For more information read the full Harford County news release.