Code/Art Presents:
All-Girls Coding Competitions
About Competitions
Code/Art’s annual Coding Competitions for Girls in grades 3–12 invite students across the country—and internationally—to showcase their creativity through code. First timers through AP Computer Science students will find something to challenge them, and many girls enter year after year as they develop greater skills. Review the full terms & conditions and scroll down for details on each competition.
All Competitions Deadline: Feb. 16, 2027 @ 11:59 PM ET.
CodeYourSelf™
Write a computer program that generates your self-portrait and is inspired by the current theme
Coded Animated Art
Create an animated art piece that is composed or constructed by your computer program
Game Design
Create and develop your own original game with a clear objective on a browser based platform
Changemaker
Work in a team to solve a problem in your community & pitch idea to panel of judges
Teacher Resources
Teachers and Educators, Code/Art’s Coding Competition can help you teach coding in your classroom.
- Access our easy-to-teach lesson plans by registering to our Hub.
- Use our Excel template for easy submission of multiple student projects.
- Submit 20+ student projects (made by female students) and receive a FREE t-shirt.
- The top elementary, middle school and high school teacher – those with the most student submissions – will each win a $100 cash prize and be recognized during the Code/Art Fest awards ceremony.
“What I found most rewarding is seeing the complete picture, and reading through the lines of code that I made. This project made me realize the variety of things you can do with coding and how it’s used in so many everyday things.”
-Anika R., 7th grade
Be Inspired
Check out our past winners from previous years for more inspiration!
Winners & Prizes
Thanks to our amazing partners from across the country, Code/Art has been able to award winners with cash prizes or STEM kits that further students’ learning and coding skills.
Want to be a Judge?
Every year, Code/Art recruits computing professionals or digital artists to judge student projects. Judges also have the opportunity to present the awards during Code/Art Fest. If you have a coding background and would like to volunteer, please email info@code-art.com.
Code/Artist Testimonials
“What I found most rewarding in the process of my project was adding the last shape to make my project complete. I remember looking at it all and saying to myself “I did this”. It is a gift to know you did something amazing all by yourself, well and also a bit of help from my coding instructor to help me get set up!”
“What did I find the most rewarding? The final end product! Since I was adding the final details down to the second, I was very proud of my portrait made out of coding!”
“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.”
“What I found the most challenging when coding was how long everything took to make. Specifically, how hard it was to make my hair look realistic. But after 25 lines of code it was so rewarding to see my hair look awesome. What was also rewarding and that makes me really proud to get right, were the shoulders. I used the quad function, which has 8 coordinates! ”
FAQs
Who can enter the Code/Art Coding Competitions?
Girls and gender-expansive students in grades 3–12. Entries are welcome from anywhere in the U.S., and we also accept international submissions.
Do I need prior coding experience to participate?
No. The competitions are designed for beginners through advanced coders. Each category includes clear instructions, rubrics, and examples so students can jump in at their own level.
How do I submit my project?
All submissions are uploaded through our official competition forms linked on our website. Each category has its own entry form. Students will provide their project link, a write up, project instructions (for Game Design) and basic entry info alongside their guardian consent for participation and media release. Teachers or parents should help younger students if needed.
What kinds of projects are allowed?
It depends on the category. Each competition has its own specific guidelines and accepted formats (please review each category page), but all entries must be original student-created work. Projects must be publicly viewable so judges can easily access both the final piece and the underlying code. If judges can’t open the project or see the code, the entry can’t be evaluated.
What is Code/Art’s AI policy for competition entries?
Students may use AI to help with written portions of their submission (like artist statements) and to teach themselves concepts, functions, or techniques. However, AI cannot write or generate any part of the project’s code. All code in the final entry must be created solely by the student. If AI-generated code is detected, the project will be disqualified.
What are the perks for teachers who participate?
The educators with the highest number of entries in each grade division earn a $100 gift card. All participating teachers also get free access to Code/Art’s lesson tutorials on our learning portal and can join free professional development trainings offered throughout the year. For the Changemaker Competition, teachers can register as team coaches—and if their team wins, the coach can earn up to $500.
Congratulations to our Winners & Finalists!
