STEMHers wins Rep. Val Demings’s 2021 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 10th District

When asked what inspired the creation of STEMHers, the student said, “About two years ago, I taught myself how to code and create apps. Being alone in the learning process and as a woman trying to navigate the field of computer science, learning to code, and finding the inspiration to persist was difficult. Finding female mentors to guide me when I was stuck was a great challenge. Late last year, I created a coding club at my school called Girls ReCode in hopes of creating a community of women in STEM and Computer Science at my high school. Many girls took interest in it, being in the same boat as I was, trying to navigate STEM in the first place. We started by teaching each other the basics of programming and grew into a supportive and loving community. Soon, we expanded into an organization and taught girls in grades 4-9 to code nationwide. We have reached over 60 girls and have over 40 female volunteers, instructors, and mentors. After creating my own organization, I realized the importance of finding and creating a community of girls so everyone can find peers and a safe space for them in STEM. I realized that not everyone had access to resources, instructors, and mentors, and there needed to be a better accessible method to assist any girl in STEM. This drove me to create my app, STEMHers, as it is accessible for all girls and/or non-binary folks who want to navigate in STEM.”