The future (of Hack Club) is female!
The National Center for Women and Information Technology, otherwise known as NCWIT, celebrates the achievements of women in the fields of computer science and information technology (IT). The female representation in the general field of technology is abysmal. In 2017, 26 percent of the computing workforce was made up of women, with less than 10 percent being women of color. However, the problem starts much earlier. The field is so male-dominated that even in high school, the most important time to explore possible career paths, girls feel alienated. Last year, only 23 percent of AP Computer Science examinees were girls. While these numbers are staggeringly low, four girls from Mason High School have proven that statistics won’t stand in their way.
Ava Scherocman, Katherine Hu, Megan Cui, and Annie Wang, members of Mason Hack Club, have won NCWIT awards in 2019. Ava, a sophomore, received an Honorable Mention for the Ohio Affiliate Award for her passion and interest in computer programming and problem solving. She says, “I’m really glad these awards exist because they encourage so many young women in stem to effect change in their communities.”
Katherine, a junior, won the Ohio Affiliate Award for her work in CincyHacks 2018, Hack Club, and TedxMason High School. When asked why this award matters to her, she says, “As one of two girls in my programming class and advocator for women in tech, it’s cool to see that organizations recognize the importance of women involved in a male dominated field.”
Megan, a senior, received a National Honorable Mention for Aspirations in Computing for her work as the executive director of Mason Hack Club and her involvement in Hack Chicago and CincyHacks 2018. “My experience with technology,” she says, “is that it’s more than just binary — it has incredible potential to solve huge societal problems in modern, unique ways.” Megan plans to attend Harvard in the fall.
Annie, a senior, also received a National Honorable Mention for Aspirations in Computing for her involvement in Mason Hack Club and CincyHacks 2018. We are so proud of our girls breaking down the gender divide that clearly exists in the world of technology. Congratulations to these brilliant and talented women on their accomplishments!
