Coding Girls Power Up in Milan with the Micron Foundation
On 8 April, the final challenge of the Coding Girls Power Up project took place at the Lessona Community Centre run by the Municipality of Milan, a community space and a focal point for the local area. It was a busy day involving over 80 students from the C.E. Gadda school in Paderno Dugnano and the G.L. Lagrange school in Milan, accompanied by 8 teachers and divided into 15 teams [see the news item From the classroom to the team].
Real-world challenges, prototypes and artificial intelligence
Guided by trainers Marilisa Del Vecchio and Elia Mengozzi, alongside corporate volunteers from Micron Technology: Barbara Carcano and Nicola Rosito, the teams tackled three thematic areas:
- School (well-being, tackling school dropout)
- Public transport (safety, accessibility)
- Youth employment (career guidance, skills)
The process involved validating real-world problems with users, developing prototypes incorporating artificial intelligence, and delivering a final pitch to the jury, which also included representatives from Micron Technology, a project partner.
A day of community and partnerships
The hackathon served as an opportunity for collaboration between schools, the third sector, institutions and the business world. Simone Zambelli, Councillor for Milan City Council’s 8th District, with responsibility for Neighbourhood and Community Centres, Culture, Mobility, Public Space, Local Retail and Health, attended the event.
The contribution of Micron volunteers, who were involved in evaluating and mentoring the teams, further enriched the experience, bringing technical expertise and professional insights to the event.
The winning projects
Among the 15 competing teams, the jury awarded three prizes:
- Winning project: SkillsMatchAI by Team 8 “Horizon” from C. E. Gadda. Team members: Aurora, Giorgia, Matilde, Michelle and Matilde
- Most original project: Trip Gain by Team 14 from G. Lagrange. Team members: Nada, Chiara, Martina Angela, Giada, Giorgia and Alma
- Most visionary project: Lovable by team 16 “I cromosomi” from G. Lagrange. Team members: Leonardo, Matteo, Claudio, Matteo, Pietro and Andrea
Special thanks go to the teachers who supported the classes throughout the programme, to the volunteers from Micron Technology who assisted the teams in the classroom, and to those who contributed to the preliminary evaluation of the projects in the weeks leading up to the hackathon. Their active participation made this rich, inclusive and future-oriented learning experience possible.
Upcoming events
Coding Girls Power Up now continues with the activities of the national tour. The hackathon in Naples is scheduled for 21 April, featuring new challenges and prizes for students from schools in Campania. Also on the calendar are the final role modelling sessions, both in-person and online, with volunteers from Micron Technology, to continue offering girls and boys opportunities for direct interaction with professionals in the technology sector.
