Step 1: Register a Team Step 2: Submit a Project

Let’s change the world with coding! For this category, girls in grades 8-12 must identify a current issue in their community and figure out a way to tackle it using research, collaboration and of course: coding.

ChangeMaker Finalists will pitch their innovative projects to tech professionals during Code/Art Fest. The winning team will win a $1,000 grand prize, mentorship from Microsoft, Code/Art T-shirts, and be titled Code/Art ChangeMakers! This competition is for female-identifying or gender non-binary persons who reside in South Florida (Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, or Palm Beach Counties). Click here to see rubric and terms & conditions.

Deadline: February 18, 2022 @ 11:59 PM

Congratulations

2021 ChangeMakers!

Clean Step

Team Name: The Planet Programmers School: American Heritage School...

The Planet Programmers team- Sarah D., Angelina W., Jennifer C., Anna P., and Kayla P. are the winners of Code/Art’s 2021 ChangeMaker Pitch competition. Their website Clean Step helps users make incremental lifestyle changes that add up to a reduced environmental footprint. Click here to watch the 2021 pitch competition

MiamiGrants

Team Name: Glorybelle Barrios School: Coral Reef High School Project Title: MiamiGrants...

Street Smarts

Team Name: YAS School: Ransom Everglades High School Grade: 11th grade Project Title: Street...

Solving the COVID Crisis

Team Name: Jessica Wong (Her-ricane) School: Glades Middle School Grade: 8th grade Project Title:...

Guidelines

Eligibility

Particiants must be female-identifying or gender non-binary students in 8-12th grade. who reside in Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, or Palm Beach County, Florida.

Teams can be composed of 1 to 5 students. Students can not register in multiple teams.

Objective

Your project must aim to solve or educate others about an issue in your community, such as (but not limited to): maintaining arts/culture/heritage, civic engagement, disability issues, disaster relief and emergency preparedness, education, elderly issues, animal protection, environmental sustainability, physical/mental health, human rights, poverty, public safety, racism, sexism, or underrepresentation in STEM.

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What to Submit

Your team’s entry must consist of project URL, write-up and presentation video.

Projects can be an app, website or interactive game. If interested in using a different medium, please include it in your team registration. The presentation video must be no longer than 5 minutes and will help place final 4 teams into live pitch round. The more informative and creative, the better! See competition rubric and terms & conditions.

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You may not submit your Changemaker project to any of Code/Art’s other competition categories.

Let’s Get Started!

Step 1: Register Your Team

Gather your girl squad and get registered on our hub! After registering your team, all members will receive confirmation emails as well as any additional updates and deadline reminders.

Teams can be made up of 1-5 students. If you don’t have a team and would like to be a part of one, you may fill out this form and we will try our best to find a team for you (not guaranteed).

Step 2: Research Your Community

Learn about your community and the issues being faced locally. Come up with a solution to your problem and do some marketing research to find out if it’s a good solution and to learn about competitors who have similar solutions.

Use your research to create a business plan around your idea and to start building the solution.

Step 3: Start Coding Your Project

Your project can be an app, website, interactive Scratch game, or animation.

New to coding? Here are some resources.

Step 4: Answer Write-Up Questions

Work with your team to best describe your project by answering the prompt questions below. Your responses will help guide you through your video and final live presentation!

Your written response must include the answers to the following questions:

1. What is the issue being addressed?
2. Explain what your project does.
3. Who is your project for? Who is the intended audience?
4. How will your project address or improve your community issue?
5. What did you learn while working on the project?
6. What was the biggest challenge when creating your project?
7. What was the most rewarding part of creating your project?

Step 5: Record Your Video

Showcase your team’s creativity and storytelling skills through your video submission. Videos must be 2-5 minutes long and should ultimately help viewers get a clear understanding of the issue at hand as well as your proposed solution.

Your video will help judges determine if your team will make it to the live pitch round at Code/Art Fest.

Step 6: Fill out Submission Form

Submit your entry on the Code/Art online hub by February 18, 2022 @ 11:59 PM EST.

Only one teammember has to fill out the submission form. Your entry must include your project URL, written portion and video URL.

Step 7: Pitch Your Idea at Code/Art Fest

If your team makes it to the finalist round, you will have the opportunity to pitch your project at Code/Art Fest where the winning team will be determined during a live pitch competition with tech professionals. Up to 4 teams will be chosen to present at Code/Art Fest.

“The ChangeMaker challenge is a unique and incredible opportunity to analyze a real-life problem in society and create a tangible solution through coding. With the help of Code-Art and the Microsoft mentors, our team was able to gain vast amounts of knowledge: we were able to get in touch with tech professionals and startup advisors, gain insight on how to develop and maintain the website and non-profit we are in the course of creating, and obtain valuable tips on how to succeed in our future professional lives.”

– Sarah D., ChangeMaker Contestant

“Code/Art’s Changemaker Competition provided me with the rewarding experience of working on all aspects of a project. Beyond just coding, I learned how to design an app, collaborate with my teammates, explain our thought process, and defend our choices to the judges, all while trying to solve an issue that was meaningful to me. The mentors and judges encouraged us to evaluate our app from the perspective of the user, raising valuable points on how we build a bridge between the coder and the consumer to create a truly helpful product.”

– Yuhan L., ChangeMaker Contestant

“Participating in the Code/Art Changemaker Competition was an amazing way to create a real solution to a problem in our community. I loved meeting judges and getting feedback on our app.”

– Amelia F., ChangeMaker Contestant

About Code/Art

Code/Art is a Miami-based non-profit whose mission is to increase the number of girls studying computer science by delighting and inspiring them with the creative possibilities of computer programming.

Want to be a Judge?

Code/Art recruits computing professionals from academia and industry to judge student projects. If you have a coding background and would like to volunteer please email [email protected]

[email protected]