by Arha G, 2nd-year, Sophomore Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates. These are all considered the most influential computer programmers of all time. I had known about these men since I was in kindergarten. They were all over every magazine, newspaper, and social media post about programming. Every cover photo of Times, every article about technology in Fortune, and every headline involving the internet on The Wall Street Journal involved a shot of them donating millions of dollars, getting sued over privacy rights, or coming out with a new product. They were, and still are the cover photos humanity sees over the vast field known as computer science. Even so, they were not the catalyst of my ever-growing interest in coding. People like Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, and Carol Shaw were the ones who reeled me into the ocean of computer science. Seeing people like me in a field normally dominated by males made me realize that women do contribute to computer science. Without Ada Lovelace, code wouldn’t exist in the first place. Without Grace Hopper, programming languages wouldn’t be as complex as they are today. Without Carol Shaw, the video game industry wouldn’t be the same. These women, and many others, were the ones who inspired me to be a part of FIRST. I started off as a fourth-grader when I was first introduced to the program. A few months before the announcement to join the robotics team was made, I read a book about Ada Lovelace. Reading that biography and speaking with a professional computer programmer, my mother, after reading about such an influential woman instilled a passion for coding within me. As a result, I joined the robotics team at my elementary school, and from there, my programming journey began. I coded for 3 years on FLL and coded for another 2 years on FTC. When I was introduced to FTC in 8th grade, I was appointed lead programmer. This one action changed my life for the better. I then coded for Team Ecliptic in 9th grade, and now, as a sophomore in high school, I code for FRC 4188, still, to this day, learn new programming techniques, as they differ from robot to robot. My passion for programming was invigorated when I discovered that women play an influential part in the coding world. I stuck with it, and now, I realize the importance of learning how to code. The point is, anyone can learn how to code, and everyone should learn how to, despite their gender, race, ethnicity, or age. With the new, more technologically oriented world, knowing how to code is becoming more and more important. We need to help other females understand that coding is for everyone and that it is possible to learn. We need to help them understand not to be intimidated by the fact that coders are mostly male. After all, the art of coding was invented by a woman. Why not help the female population integrate back into the world of computer science?
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AuthorThe CSP Blog is written by members of the CSP Media team, with guest blogs by alumni and other guests. Archives
March 2022
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