CodeQueens to Showcase Computer Games Designed to Address Real-World Issues

CodeQueens Club

Thanks to a three-year, Cal State San Marcos-led effort funded through a National Science Foundation grant, girls at Mission Hills High School and four other high schools in North County are learning computer coding as part of a larger effort to increase the number of women motivated to pursue careers in the field of information communication technology. Photo by Abdullah Noor

High school girls from North County San Diego will present computer games they have designed as part of the CodeQueens Club, a 16-week afterschool program coordinated by Cal State San Marcos.

Student mentors from CSUSM’s Computer Science Department lead club meetings and teach participants the fundamentals of computer programming while engaging them in activities that build their self-efficacy and identity as programmers and problem solvers.

The CodeQueens Showcase is from 1:30-4 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at Rancho Buena Vista High School’s Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served after the girls present their games from 1:30-2:45 p.m. Computer industry professionals will judge projects and prizes will be awarded.

This National Science Foundation-funded project to help diversify the North County tech workforce is a collaboration between CSUSM’s Dr. Youwen Ouyang (Computer Science Department), Dr. Moses Ochanji (Department of Education) and Dr. Anna Woodcock (Psychology Department).

What: “CodeQueens Showcase” in which CodeQueen Club members from Mission Hills, Oceanside, Rancho Buena Vista, San Marcos and San Pasqual high schools come together to present the computer games that they have developed with guidance from CSUSM’s computer science mentors.

When: 1:30-4 p.m., Saturday, April 28

Where: Rancho Buena Vista High School Performing Arts Center

Cost: Free and open to the public

Parking: Free parking at the Rancho Buena Vista High School staff parking lot

Social Media: Instagram @sdcodequeens

Twitter @sd_codequeens

Snapchat sdcodequeens

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 28-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls nearly 17,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.