Overview
The Girls Who Code Challenge is an annual national competition built around a single prompt that changes each year — a current issue at the intersection of technology and social good, with participants invited to respond through a project of their own design. Recent themes have included AI + Cybersecurity and AI + Sustainability. What sets this apart from most coding contests is the latitude — submissions can be coded apps and tools, but they can just as easily be videos, written pieces, visual designs, or research projects. The point is the thinking, not the format.
How the Challenge Works
Participants take the year's prompt, do their own research, and build a project that responds to it. Projects are judged within three age categories — Middle School, High School, and College-Aged — so your child is evaluated alongside peers at the same stage.
Group submissions are welcome. Teams can include up to four participants. One team member submits on behalf of the group, and the entire team is entered into the submitter's age category — so all collaborators need to be in the same bracket.
Who It's For
This one's for the kid who has an idea about how technology should work in the world — not just how it does. The one who notices the design flaw in a familiar app, or who has opinions about what AI should and shouldn't be used for, or who has been quietly building things on her own and wants a reason to finish one. Because submissions can take so many forms, the Challenge welcomes both experienced coders and kids who have never written a line of code but have something to say. The common thread is curiosity about where technology meets real life.
What Makes This Different
Most coding competitions ask for code. This one asks for a response — and trusts participants to choose the right format for what they're trying to say. That openness changes who shows up. A 9th grader who writes poetry about digital privacy can win alongside an 11th grader who builds a working browser extension. The 2025–26 winners included both. For a parent whose child is interested in technology but doesn't fit the standard "competitive coder" mold, that breadth is the draw.
Application & Eligibility
- Open to anyone in the U.S. ages 13–26
- No prior Girls Who Code participation required
- Three age categories: Middle School, High School, College-Aged
- Individual or team submissions welcome
Cost & Information
- Entry: Free
- Submission window: Typically opens in early fall and closes in mid-February
- Multiple winning projects are selected per age category each cycle, with gift card prizes scaled to age bracket