GREAT FALLS — Women are still one of the most underrepresented demographics in technology and computer science, but Code Girls United is aiming to change that — one student, one project, and now, one significant funding at a time.
“Earlier this year, we incorporated AI into our standard afterschool program… And the kids use like an image bot or chatbot in it,” said CEO Marianne Smith.
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For these students, AI is more than a buzzword; it is a tool that they are learning to comprehend and utilize properly.
The girls collaborate with instructors to create educational movies that provide advice on practical, ethical, and creative ways to employ AI in technology projects and everyday life.
“They're just going to use it and plagiarize. And we are hitting it with, this is what it is, this is what it can do. And here are practical ways for you to implement it. And some of it is just having fun and exploring it,” explained Curriculum Director Sue Cheff.
Their videos are similar to popular YouTube gaming lessons in that they present a "first-person" view of tech discovery. But the true stars are the students—girls who teach other girls how to code, construct, and innovate.
“I'm teaching girls that aren’t much younger than me… It's helped a lot with communicating properly and just learning in general,” said student representative Liesel.
Their work recently piqued the interest of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, which awarded Code Girls United an $80,000 grant to help expand their new AI Academy online learning program.
A news release states:
The OpenAI Foundation has selected Code Girls United as one of the first recipients of its People-First AI Fund, a multi-million-dollar investment in community-based nonprofits working to strengthen local communities and expand the opportunities of AI. Code Girls received an $80,000 grant to directly support its new online learning channel, Code Girls AI Academy, where Advanced Code Girls students and interns teach AI fundamentals and concepts with accompanying activities.
“Our students will be teaching other people, not just other students and people their age… So that $80,000 from OpenAI is specifically to continue this,” said Fund Development lead Melissa Dunning.
“The People-First AI Fund reflects our commitment to supporting a wide range of organizations advancing work that strengthens communities and expands opportunity,” said Bret Taylor, Chair of the OpenAI Foundation Board, in a news release. “We’re proud to support this first group of grantees and to continue work that is mission-driven and responsive to the people it exists to serve.”
With this increased sponsorship, Code Girls United is ready to continue supporting Montana's next generation of innovators—one line of code at a time.
Click here to visit the Code Girls United website. Click here to visit their AI Academy channel on YouTube.
