Changing the Face of Computer Science, One Girl at a Time

    OAKLAND, CA, March 13, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Juliette Palacios fell in love with computer programming in the 4th grade when an instructor joined her class for the afternoon. If she could fall in love with coding, she knew other girls could, too. So, at age 14, she decided to found an organization aimed at introducing fundamentals of coding to girls aged 9 – 12, giving them an opportunity to discover and enjoy computer science at a young age just as she did. Computing Minds was born, and one year later, Juliette applied for it to become a nonprofit.

Computing Minds Is Changing Lives

"At Computing Minds, we teach and inspire girls about the basic fundamentals of coding," says Juliette. "With what they learn here, students will be able to go into their future with a strong foundation in computer science. Providing a positive first experience with coding is one of our main goals."

Beginner Coding Classes: Computing Minds teaches girls aged 9 – 12 the fundamentals of computer science in their free online weekly classes.

"We have projects with instructions that students have access to if they want to ever look back on them," says Juliette. "The instructor presents their screen and does the project along with everyone. Once the project is done, there can be time afterwards for students to add personal touches and explore more creativity. It is also very fun when the girls talk to me about what projects they are working on."

Scholarship Opportunities: Young women who are graduating from high school and enrolling in a 2-year or 4-year college majoring in computer science can apply to win a scholarship from Computing Minds.

Annual CMWIT Conference: Each summer, the nonprofit hosts the Computing Minds Women In Technology Conference. 2021 is the conference's inaugural year.

Lifting Minority Voices: Juliette and her team at Computing Minds are championing the future of women in STEM careers. As a young Mexican American woman, she hopes to inspire others who are underrepresented in the computer science field to have confidence in their ability to learn, succeed, and thrive.

Visit ComputingMinds.org.

About: Juliette Palacios (say pull-AH-see-ohs) is the founder and executive director of Computing Minds, which she created at age 14 and transformed into a nonprofit at age 15. Computing Minds teaches and inspires girls aged 9 – 12 about the basic fundamentals of coding, providing positive first experiences in the field of computer science. Learn more at ComputingMinds.org.

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