A group of tech professionals and educators launched a new series of STEM workshops in the Bronx on Saturday, aiming to inspire young girls to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
The kickoff event, held at the Bronx Gigabit Center inside the Andrew Freedman Home—a historic art and incubator space on the Grand Concourse—brought together local Girl Scout troops, educators from the nonprofit Digital Girl, Inc., and representatives from LinkNYC, the company behind the city’s free public Wi-Fi and charging stations.
“Early experiences with the practical applications of STEM concepts builds girls’ confidence at a young age to break into the tech industry as they get older,” said Michelle Gall, Founder and Executive Director of Digital Girl, Inc.
Using laptops and tablets provided by the Gigabit Center, the Girl Scouts explored the fundamentals of coding, learning the building blocks behind app development and game programming. They also got hands-on experience with robotics, programming and decorating their own robots during the session.
The workshop included a lesson in digital literacy, focusing on online safety, smart social media use, and the importance of managing one’s digital footprint.
Women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, comprising just 28% of the workforce globally, according to the World Economic Forum. The partnership between LinkNYC and Digital Girl, Inc., which focuses on tech education for youth across New York City, aims to close that gap by empowering girls with early access to STEM skills and career pathways.
The Bronx event marked the first in a three-part workshop series in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. Two additional workshops are scheduled for April 5 and April 19 at the Digital Girl Tech Hub in Brooklyn.
For more information on free tech resources for young New Yorkers or to register for an upcoming session, visit www.digitalgirlinc.org.
