CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Even in the midst of a pandemic, the Dottie Rose Foundation has been staying true to its mission.
"The foundation was created to really create that support area for young women to come to and find a place to learn, fail, bond, succeed," Dottie Rose Foundation founder Dr. Sharon Jones said.
The Charlotte nonprofit is helping educate middle-school girls about science, technology, engineering and math, commonly referred to as STEM careers.
“If you just take today and do once piece of the hour of code, you’ve already made a step in moving towards having a better step and enjoying it," Jones said.
The organization is kicking off Computer Science Week with free virtual workshops to teach students the ins-and-outs of how technology can work for them.
“Every day at 12:30 p.m., at Dottie Rose Foundation on Facebook and Instagram, we will be live with at-home computer-science activities that you can do with your children and students," Jones said.
Just recently, the Dottie Rose Foundation, Code Ninjas of Ballantyne and Concord, and the AvidXchange Foundation partnered to donate 3D printers to Levine Children's Hospital to help teach kids how to 3D print.
On Thursday, they're hosting a live chatbot workshop where girls can learn how to make their own chatbot.
The organization hopes they can inspire more kids to go into STEM careers.
“The purpose behind Computer Science Week is to bring light to those working in the field and to educate parents teachers and students about the robust opportunities that are within computer science," Jones explained. “Starting young gives them the confidence to keep moving forward."
To learn more about the Dottie Rose Foundation, visit https://dottierosefoundation.org/.