BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee will host 25 Hamilton County students next week to teach them the basics of computer programming.
BlueCross has partnered with the Chattanooga Technology Council to immerse area middle and high school students into the world of computer coding. For five days the students will learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript and much more.
This is the second year BlueCross has hosted the event and organizers are excited to announce that half of the students participating this year are female.
According to a CNBC report, 37 percent of all computer-science graduates in 1984 were women, but today that number is just 18 percent.
Just 20 percent of AP Computer Science test-takers are female, and 0.4 percent of high school girls express interest in majoring in computer science, but many leading companies are taking proactive measures to shrink the gender gap.
Throughout the week, students will work with professional developers at BlueCross to gain hands-on experience and learn about the computer science industry. On the final day, the student coders will present a project to their parents and a panel of judges who will select winners in a variety of categories.
The Code Camp will be held on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, 1 Cameron Hill Circle in Chattanooga.