Ladies Learning Code

This summer, Ladies Learning Code will be running two weeks of Girls Learning Code summer camp, and we couldn’t be more excited about it! To learn more about Girls Learning Code, click here. (And to watch a cute video featuring some of the “future web makers” who joined us for Girls Learning Code in March, click here.)

At our camps, we provide computers. But it’s only possible because of the amazing people over at Planet Geek. Here’s how Planet Geek describes themselves on their website:

We’re a friendly bunch of (Toronto) folks, open-source-oriented, environmentally-conscious, and volunteer-supported. We work to keep e-waste (computers and related gear) out of landfill, putting it into the hands of those who can (re)use it.

Planet Geek is awesome – they take donations of computers and other gear, refurbish them, and then loan or donate them to people and organizations in need. Jon and Terry, who run Planet Geek, and a bunch of volunteers even made sure the computers we used for Girls Learning Code had all the software we needed, and even set the machines up and took them down! It was so awesome – they were an indispensable partner in making our March Break camp a success.

The amazing thing? Planet Geek has agreed to help us once again with our camps this summer. We couldn’t be more grateful!

Here’s the thing – Planet Geek provides computers to lots of non-profits, charities and individuals in need. The computers we used for March Break have gone to a group who needed them (permanently), and so we need to find more old computers that can be refurbished! Planet Geek has already collected 12 laptops for us to use for our two weeks of summer camp, so we need to find just eight more laptops. We’re hoping you can help us!

Do you have a laptop that you no longer use? If it’s old, that’s okay! Planet Geek will fix it up. The minimum requirements are as follows:

• Laptops only (though we’re sure Planet Geek will take most any donations!)
• Speed: 1.6GHz or better
• Please ensure you have the correct (and functioning) pwoer adapter when possible!
• Both Macs and PCs are cool with us!
• Oh, and if it’s missing something like a hard drive, that’s okay, too! Planet Geek will use the parts to fix another computer – everything helps!

Do you have a laptop that you can donate to Planet Geek for use at Girls Learning Code? Please contact us! We’ll arrange a time to pick it up, at your convenience.

UPDATE:  Thanks to the people who have donated laptops to Planet Geek! We only need 3 more.

Learn more about these awesome people who have donated laptops to Planet Geek for Girls Learning Code below:

Name: Nathan Miller
City: Portland, OR
Company: SellerEngine Software
Role: Coder/Analyst/Troubleshooter
Website: wry.23q.org (not really there yet. soon!)
Twitter: @drfatalic
Why you’re helping Girls Learning Code:

I had a very lucky start in the computer industry. Both my parents got involved in programming in the 70s. I got my first computer at the age of eight. My father helped me learn BASIC on it, and assembly not long after, but computers were just sort of fun for him. For my mother they became a life-long passion and career. When, much later, I followed in her footsteps, I was a bit unsettled to find myself in a field totally dominated by men. I adjusted, but it’s always seemed sad to me. Lately I’ve begun to understand that it’s worse than sad: it’s wrong, and it needs to change. We, computer people, are building the future right now. We, humanity, need everyone to be represented and engaged in that work. We can’t reasonably expect an unbalanced subset of us to create a future that works for all of us.

Name: Jaret Manuel
City: Toronto, ON
Company: PuckDrop.net
Role: Founder
Website: PuckDrop.net
Twitter handle: @JaretManuel
Why you’re helping Girls Learning Code:

The Rails community was a huge factor for the start of my coding journey. Kids are our future and any program that sets out to encourage more girls (or boys) to code is nothing but positive. Kids learning & understanding code will be in the driver seat of the future!

Name: Daniel Patricio
City: Toronto, ON
Company: Jet Cooper
Role: Product Manager
Website: jetcooper.com
Twitter handle: @danielpatricio
Why you’re helping Girls Learning Code:

Programming literacy could be one of the most important skills of the future and I want to make sure no eager mind is be held back.

Name: Karen Whaley
City: Toronto, ON
Company: Artscape
Role: Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Website: torontoartscape.org
Twitter handle: @whaletimes
Why you’re helping Girls Learning Code:

I’m donating my old laptop to Ladies Learning Code because I think they do a great job of fostering a supportive environment for women (and men!) to learn practical, non-specialist programming skills. I work in not-for-profit marketing so I’ve learned basic coding out of necessity. Recently at work I built a WordPress site with a theme I purchased and some custom CSS, which probably saved my organization a few thousand dollars in developer fees and six months of meetings. Empowering women (and men!) to take on their own coding projects is good for everyone.

Name: Andrew Munro
City: Toronto, ON
Company: Hubba & Artez Interactive
Role: Product Architect
Website: hubba.com, artez.com
Why you’re helping Girls Learning Code:

Technology has such a fantastic potential for change. In our industry you can actually create something with as little as a few keystrokes. It’s such an amazing feeling that every young mind should be exposed to. Who knows what their imagination could lead them to create if only they had the opportunity?