Summer Programs for Techies

"Before you  become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all." 

- Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey 

This post is geared towards high school students interested in technology, coding, and startups. I'll have another post for mathematicians and scientists shortly. If you're in college or out of college, and looking for coding bootcamps, please skip to the last paragraph of this post. 

Because technology is so popular right now, there are endless opportunities for students who either know how to code, or are willing to learn. Below are a subset of summer programs and organizations; some are specifically for young women coders, or for certain minority groups. Research each one to determine what learning or working experience is best for you, and do let me know if I should add more to my list. 

Larger organizations may sometimes take the occasional star coder from high school. But that is the exception to the norm. If you're looking to gain work experience, try reaching out to volunteer or intern at a program that is also geared towards teens your age. How about offering to work for your coding tuition, or spearheading the coding program at your school? Otherwise, if a program or a work opportunity doesn't work out, you can always take classes online through Udacity, Coursera, Khan, Codecademy, etc. 

If you're planning to work on your own app or project, remember to structure your summer to prepare for success. 

• Teens in Tech
• Girls who Code
• App Camp 4 Girls
• Black Girls Code
• Flatiron School Pre-College
• Coder Dojo (and Dojocon)
• iD Tech
• Digital Media Academy
• Code in the Schools
• Code Now

If you are out of college and you'd like to enroll in a coding bootcamp to take your skills to the next level, check out Skilled Up's Ultimate Guide to Coding Bootcamps. And network, network, network to learn about startups in your area that may need coders or interns.