Smithville High offers more coding opportunities for students

SMITHVILLE, Texas - Smithville High School is offering more opportunities for its female students to get into computer science and coding.

It’s no surprise how consumed we are with our technology and with that, teacher Mary Castello saw a need to teach her students more about computer science and brought AP Computer Science to Smithville High.

Castello breaks it down for her students.

"I saw a class to help people teach coding. And tech, to me, is so important for the kids because that's our world now. It is our world. Everything we own, everything we look at has code in it somewhere, the internet of things," said Castello.

Castello started teaching computer science in 2019 with just ten students, and just five years later, the program has expanded.

"We have a pathway for computer science coding, and we just added a cybersecurity class so that we have a pathway through cybersecurity also. And that's where we've gotten," Castello said.

In high school, students are able to explore their options and see what path best fits for them.

"I switched to code. It was pretty interesting," said student Zee Liittle-Neuhaus. "The first course was python, and it was kind of along the lines of audio video production, but like, very much not. So it was like making little pictures and stuff with the code. So I found that pretty funny."

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Students have been curious about the programs and wanted to get more involved. In December, Castello started a new Girls Who Code club.

"I'm excited because I think Girls Who Code, coding and technology is such a male-based. I mean, it's changing, but it's still not there," Castello said. "And, Girls Who Code gives women, young adults an opportunity to learn about coding and see if they like it without being intimidated in a class of boys."

Students like Sara Perryman joined the club because she wants to see female representation in the technology world and wants more girls to be in STEM.

"Especially if you're a girl. Don't be intimidated by the low amount of women in this field because it's just do what you want, but also don't limit yourself," Perryman said.

Not only did these students get hands-on experience, but they will be leaving high school with an industry certification, making them career ready right out of high school.