Great news for girls: The North Little Rock-based Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub recently announced the launch of free coding workshops for girls ages 12-18. The workshops will be offered through a partnership with 100 Girls of Code, an initiative that hopes to interest young women in computer science and close the wide gender gap in STEM careers.

According to the 100 Girls of Code website, the statistics are stark: "Of the STEM fields, computer science and computer engineering have the highest median earnings for recent college graduates without advanced degrees, and only around 12 percent are women." Plus, "The U.S. Labor Department has estimated that there will be 1.4 million jobs openings for computer-related occupations this decade, and the median job for people with a computer-science degree pays around $80,000 to $100,000"

Beginning in the summer of 2014 with nine workshops in Tennessee, the program has now spread to 10 other states. During the free workshops, participants learn computer programming basics by building websites and video games.

"We are very pleased to bring 100 Girls of Code to Arkansas," Warwick Sabin, executive director of the Hub, stated in a press release about the launch. "This programming fits perfectly with our ongoing efforts to bring more engaging STEM education to our region, and we are especially interested in increasing access and outreach to underserved communities."

The central Arkansas chapter hopes to kick off its first workshop in April. In the meantime, interested girls can sign up to get more information at 100GirlsOfCode.com/Central-Arkansas

Read more about the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub's recent efforts in the full Arkansas Business article. To learn more about 100 Girls of Code, visit 100GirlsOfCode.com.