Hi there! My name is Elizabeth Holm, and I started an amazing group called Sonak, which stands for the Sisterhood of Native American Coders. Our mission is to teach Indigenous girls from all over the country how to code. We do this through a fun and interactive online program that brings together girls aged 9 to 12 from different Native communities.
Coding is like giving instructions to a computer to make it do things, like creating games, apps, or websites. It’s a super cool skill that helps you understand how technology works and lets you create your own digital projects!
We want to get these girls excited about STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. By learning to code, they can discover how fun and interesting these subjects can be. Our hope is that they will keep this passion alive and encourage other girls around them to explore STEM too.
Our goal is to build a strong community of Indigenous female innovators in STEM. We want to see more Indigenous girls represented in these fields, bringing their unique perspectives and ideas to the world of technology.
If you’re interested in coding or know someone who might be, there are lots of resources online to help you get started. You can join coding clubs, participate in online courses, or even start your own coding projects at home. Remember, the world of STEM is full of exciting opportunities, and you can be a part of it!
So, let’s get coding and inspire others to join us on this amazing journey!
Use a beginner-friendly platform like Scratch to create your own simple game. Think about a story or a challenge you want to share, and use coding blocks to bring your idea to life. Share your game with your classmates and explain how you used coding to make it work!
Research an Indigenous inventor or innovation in technology. Create a short presentation or poster to share what you learned with the class. Highlight how their work has impacted technology and inspired others.
Find an online coding club or community where you can meet other young coders. Participate in challenges and collaborate on projects. Share your experiences and learn from others in the club.
Use a simple website builder to create a website that shares information about your culture or community. Include images, stories, and facts. Use this project to practice your coding skills and teach others about your heritage.
Reach out to a professional working in a STEM field and conduct an interview. Ask them about their career, how they use coding, and any advice they have for young learners. Share your findings with the class to inspire others.
My name is Elizabeth Holm, and I’m the founder of Sonak, which is the Sisterhood of Native American Coders. Essentially, we teach Indigenous girls across the country how to code through an entirely online program that connects girls aged 9 to 12 from various Native communities. Our goal is to spark their interest in STEM at a young age so they can carry that passion with them and inspire other girls around them to pursue STEM as well. We aim to create a chain of the next generation of Indigenous female innovators in STEM and increase representation in the field.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for computers to follow. – Example sentence: “In our coding class, we learned how to create a simple game using Scratch.”
Girls – Young female individuals who can also be great at coding and technology. – Example sentence: “The club encourages girls to explore coding and build their own apps.”
Technology – Tools and machines that help solve problems or make tasks easier. – Example sentence: “Using technology, we can create amazing projects like robots and websites.”
Projects – Activities or tasks that involve creating something new or solving a problem. – Example sentence: “Our science fair projects included building a solar-powered car.”
Community – A group of people with a common interest, like coding or DIY projects. – Example sentence: “The online community helped us find new ideas for our coding projects.”
Resources – Materials or tools that help you learn or complete a project. – Example sentence: “We used online resources to find tutorials for our DIY robot project.”
Innovate – To create new ideas or methods to improve something. – Example sentence: “We decided to innovate by adding voice control to our homemade robot.”
Learn – To gain knowledge or skills through study or experience. – Example sentence: “We learn new coding languages by practicing with fun exercises.”
Digital – Related to technology that uses computers or the internet. – Example sentence: “Digital art can be created using software on a computer or tablet.”
STEM – An acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. – Example sentence: “Our school offers a STEM program where we can explore coding and engineering.”
