We’ve got a thing for information technology

1334+

19+

APPLICATIONS

COHORTS

575

250

76%

3+

ENROLL IN COLLEGE

CITIES

ROAD CRUSH STUDENTS

STUDENTS

CodeCrush is an iSTEM immersion experience for 8th and 9th-grade female students and their teachers, designed to pull back the curtain on the world of Information Technology and show what's possible, one cohort at a time.

Two days of hands-on workshops, real industry exposure, and community, built for young women and the teachers who champion them. Students don't just learn about tech. They do it: building apps, exploring cybersecurity, experimenting with AI, and meeting professionals.

Topics covered

Cybersecurity

Robotics

AI & Machine Learning

Bioinformatics

Python Coding

Computer Vision

Mobile App Development

IT Innovation and more

UI/UX Design

    • 8th and 9th-grade female students from Nebraska

    • Their mentoring teachers

    No prior tech experience required. Just curiosity.

  • Format: In-person, multi-day immersion 

    Sessions: Two immersion cohorts per year and a culminating summer summit 

    Location: Omaha, Nebraska

    Students and teachers spend two days immersed in the AIM ecosystem, attending workshops led by university instructors and industry professionals, visiting IT departments at real companies, and connecting with CodeCrush alumni now thriving in STEM careers.

  • Free for students. 

    Teacher-mentors receive a stipend for attending.

    CodeCrush is made possible by grants from private foundations and corporate sponsors, including the Peter Kiewit Foundation.

10 Years
of Impact

Since launching in 2014, CodeCrush has:

  • Received 1,334+ applications from students across Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and beyond

  • Welcomed 575 students into immersion experiences

  • Hosted 19 cohorts, averaging 29 students and 15 teacher-mentors per session

  • Reached an additional 250 students through RoadCrush, a mobile outreach extension

  • Seen 76% of eligible alumni enroll in a four-year college

CodeCrush alumni are now engineers, researchers, and innovators across the country:

Grace Erixon (2014)

BS in Computer Science, UNL; Software Engineer at Omaha startup Superb Shifts

Ottilie Cooper-Ohm (2014)

BS in CS, UNO; Fulbright Grant recipient; Schwarzman Scholar

Tera Maher (2015)

BS/MS in IT Innovation, UNO; PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan

Grace Maline (2014)

Medical student, NYU

"After CodeCrush, I realized my interests in biology translated into bioinformatics - a field I'd never heard of before. That experience shaped my entire journey."

Women make up nearly 58% of college students in the US - but only 26.7% of the IT workforce. 

Only 1 in 5 female students choose computing majors. CodeCrush exists to change that.

FAQs

  • Applicants are expected to be able to provide their own transportation to the immersion experiences and summit. Please note CodeCrush will not be able to arrange or logistically plan your travel.

  • For the Immersion Experience, both students and teachers will be staying at the Residence Inn Aksarben Village adjacent to UNO's Pacific Street Campus. Local teachers have the option of opting out of the hotel stay; however, all other participants will be expected to stay at the hotel with the group. Please discuss with the CodeCrush Coordinator if you have an exception that needs to be made.

  • Student arrangements will be 2 to 4 participants to a room. If a student is uncomfortable sharing a queen-sized bed with someone, trundle beds are available on a limited basis. Teachers may have one same-sex roommate in a room with two queen beds. For those students whose teachers are opting out of the hotel, CodeCrush staff will be staying at the hotel for additional supervision.

  • Check out our Immersion Experience page for updates on our camps! You can also sign up to receive updates via email here.

  • Unfortunately, every student must be accompanied by a teacher mentor for the Immersion Experiences. We can help you arrange one if needed. The Summer Summit does not have this requirement.

  • Applicants must: Be current eighth or ninth graders. Possess a U.S. address. Commit to attending the full 3-day program.