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Written By: Amanda Okwara (Guest Writer)
Karlie Kloss is widely known as a fashion icon and former Victoria's Secret supermodel, noted for her signature walk and radiant presence. Throughout her career, she has served as a role model for many young girls. However, in 2015, Kloss put a pause on runways and embarked on a new journey by creating “Kode with Klossy,” a summer program designed to provide computer science-related opportunities to young women across the country.
Kode with Klossy is a camp that takes place from June through August in various locations nationwide. The camp’s iconic title comes from Karlie Kloss’s last name. Her interest in starting the camp was sparked when she decided to take a course to learn about coding languages such as HTML, Ruby, and CSS. After exploring computer science and seeing the gender discrepancy in it, Kloss felt inspired to make a change. She encouraged young girls to take the same course she took, and due to the volume of interest, she founded Kode with Klossy.
Now, you may be asking yourself: Why is the camp geared towards girls instead of being inclusive towards boys as well? Studies have proven that over 79% of the people in the computer science industry are men. As a result, young girls may feel intimidated to pursue computer science because they will be a part of the minority in their workspaces. The camp builds an inclusive and supportive environment for girls to bond while building connections that will increase their chances of going into computer science-related fields. According to the Kode with Klossy website, "4% of women nationally choose to pursue degrees in computer science or a related engineering field. 78% of Kode With Klossy alumni in college have chosen to pursue majors or minors in computer science or engineering.” These numbers show the prevalent impact that participating in the camp will have on increasing workplace diversity in computer science.
So, what is the camp about? Campers spend two weeks in one of the four focuses: Data Science, App Development, Web Development, or Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Throughout the camp, participants engage in different activities and projects to familiarize themselves with their designated topic. On the last day of Kode with Klossy, they present a project that they created throughout the camp, demonstrating their new talents.
Karlie Kloss’s determination to increase diversity in STEM fields has made a significant difference in the lives of many young girls worldwide. However, this camp is only a start. To further the difficult journey to seal the gender gap in computing fields, it will take continued support for women, starting within our communities. Just like for Karlie Kloss, it can all start with one course.