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$50-Million Initiative By Google To Get Girls To Code

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Jun 19, 2014 01:19 PM EDT

Reportedly there are less than one percent of high school girls who are interested in computer science. However Google wants to alter that and is ready to spend $50 million in doing so. 

The new initiative called Made with Code has been created in conjunction with heavy hitters like the MIT Media Lab, Chelsea Clinton and the Girl Scouts of the USA. The campaign will connect girls with coding resources, inspirational videos and more. 

Engadget reported that the effort originated from Google's own research showing that kids are more likely to get excited about computer science if they try it at an early age and are shown how it can benefit their careers. 

Google has also invited 150 girls to the launch event in New York City where the girls will see indie rocker Icona Pop perform live. Girls will be also shown how to use codes to create variety of things like animated movies and designer fabrics. 

"Coding is a new literacy, and it gives people the potential to create, innovate and quite literally change the world. We've got to show all girls that computer science is an important part of their future and that it's a foundation to pursue their passions, no matter what field they want to enter," said Susan Wojcicki, one of Google's first employees now YouTube chief executive, according to Washington Post.

"I miss having more women counterparts," she added.

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