After an intensive summer program, 19 talented high school girls from the DMV area will showcase their new computer skills by pitching the new apps and web designs they created during the first AT&T-Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program in Washington, D.C.

The students will now pitch their project during their graduation to event attendees, including Jennifer Kuhn, Executive Director of Public Affairs for AT&T, Kimberly Basset, Executive Director of the DC Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives, and Ruthe A. Farmer, Senior Policy Advisor for Tech Inclusion Office of Science and Technology Policy Office of the President.

Projects developed using the tools and skills they learned during the program include:

• A website that promotes access to information about water quality
• A website that helps people cope with anxiety and panic attacks
• A website that spreads information about the transgender cause and highlights safe spaces
• A website that aims at helping people tackle the problem of procrastination

The Summer Immersion Program is a 7-week computer science course that offers high school students 300+ hours of instruction in web development and design, robotics and mobile development, along with mentorship and exposure to top female industry leaders and entrepreneurs. The students were hosted at AT&T's DC office, where they learned new skills and met incredible speakers, including congress members and 1776 Co-Founder Donna Harris 

In the US, women hold fewer than 25% of jobs in STEM fields (despite the fact that they make up 47% of the workforce). This graduation is a great example of the importance of programs that encourage young women to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and math.