New National Campaign Aims to Inspire More Girls to Pursue Computer Science and AI

Code.org launches Computer Science is Everything campaign to increase high school girls' enrollment in computer science courses.

SEATTLE, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Code.org has announced the launch of Computer Science is Everything (CSiE), the first-ever national campaign to increase enrollment among high school girls in computer science courses. The initiative aims to tackle the persistent gender gap in computer science by addressing three key drivers of participation: fostering a sense of belonging, making real-world connections, and ensuring that young women see computer science as a subject meant for them.

New Data Highlights the Urgency of the Issue

To launch the campaign, Code.org partnered with YouGov on a national survey and report to identify factors contributing to the gender gap in high school computer science enrollment:

• Interest gap – Girls are significantly less likely than boys to say that computer science is important or that it's their favorite subject.
• Perception is a key barrier – 24% of high school girls say CS is "not interesting," while another 24% say it "has nothing to do with my interests."
• Representation matters – The most important driver for enrollment among young women in CS is whether they feel like "CS is for someone like me" (25%).
• Despite progress, the gender gap persists – Young women remain half as likely as young men to take a high school computer science course, limiting their future opportunities in a workforce increasingly shaped by technology.

A notable bright spot in the data reveals that Black students are more likely to be engaged with computer science – a difference driven by the fact that Black girls are more engaged with the subject matter and more likely to see computer science as part of their identity. This representation reflects the impact of concerted efforts across the CS and tech ecosystems to increase participation in computer science and coding among Black girls, and reinforces the importance of campaigns like CSiE that are designed to reach underrepresented student populations.

Sarah, a New Jersey high school computer science student, shared: "Computer science is valuable for any career, any job. It therefore should be a class encouraged for all high school students to take — not just men."

Since its inception, Code.org has been dedicated to increasing girls' participation in computer science. Recently, Code.org has launched a series of innovative activities and curriculums, like Music Lab: Jam Session, designed to connect with students' passions and highlight the role computer science plays in powering the things they love.

"Young women deserve to see themselves in this — and any — field," says Sarah Morrison, SVP of Marketing at Code.org "As artificial intelligence continues to impact every industry, it's never been more critical that all students learn the skills that computer science imparts." 

CSiE calls on educators, parents, policymakers, and the tech industry to take action in breaking down barriers for young women in computer science. Schools and communities can get involved by:

• Encouraging young women to enroll in computer science courses
• Highlighting diverse role models and success stories in CS
• Providing mentorship and industry exposure opportunities
• Supporting policies that expand access to equitable computer science education

For more information on how to participate, visit CSisEverything.org.

About Code.org
Code.org is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by young women and students from other underrepresented groups. Our vision is that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science as part of their core K-12 education. The leading provider of K-12 computer science curriculum in the largest school districts in the United States, Code.org also created the annual Hour of Code campaign, which has engaged more than 15% of all students in the world.

SOURCE Code.org