The Liberty Foundation, in collaboration with Y-Teens V.I. and the Society of Women Coders, is introducing the NextGen Tech Scholars Program to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the first time. This digital literacy initiative targets female students, aiming to train them in essential technology skills.
Y-Teens VI, a St. Thomas-based organization for the empowerment of girls and young women, recruited the students for this program. “Y-Teens VI is excited to partner with Liberty Foundation and Society of Women Coders in this worthwhile initiative,” said Donnalie Edwards-Cabey, the organization’s president and executive director. “It highlights one of the core areas of programming for us which is exposing girls and young women to technology skills, computer science, and engineering as viable career pathways in this digital age.”
The program is a 20-week online afterschool residency that focuses on coding and programming for female public middle and high schoolers aged 13 to 17. Participants will attend workshops covering task automation, data analysis, data visualization, digital literacy, website creation, and programming in Python, a language widely used in software development.
In addition to technical skills, the program includes mentoring sessions and provides access to an online community of coders. Classes will be held every Thursday, with mentoring sessions on Saturdays.
“This edition is very significant for us because this is the first time we are offering the NextGen program in the USVI,” stated Kavya Krishna, director and CEO of Society of Women Coders. “The girls taking this program are learning about digital literacy and the basics of coding, both important for developing skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. It will also be a door-opening opportunity for them to follow a career in STEM and even a first step on their education paths, like getting university scholarships."
Liberty Foundation has committed to supporting Y-Teens VI and other nonprofit organizations in the USVI throughout 2024.
