Breaking the code

This young Indian-American teen has been creating ripples in the digital and offline spaces with her passion towards coding. Swetha Prabakaran, whose love for computer science paved the way for her non-profit, ‘Everybody Code Now!’, has taken on the task to spread the digital power across the world, including Tamil Nadu, to those who have limited access to technology.

Swetha was recently chosen to be a part of the First Lady’s ‘Better Make Room’ student advisory board (which aims to connect students across the US with the right resources), to become the only Indian origin member on this team. The young technology advocate had also won the ‘White House Champions of Change’ award earlier and aims to see many more girls coding. She speaks to us on her recent appointment, her love for Bharatanatyam and her vision for her company.

“My mom, Deepa, has a computer engineering degree, so I grew up hearing computer jargon at home! She encouraged me to take up computer science in my freshman year to explore different realms of science, technology, and engineering and to find my passion. I wanted such encouragement and role models for other girls, like my little sister. I wished for other girls to have exposure to technology the way I had, and the realisation that most schools don’t offer any sort of computer science course for students, strengthened my resolve to create a program. It was in that moment that my non-profit, Everybody Code Now! was born,” says 16-year-old Swetha, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in  Virginia.

As part of her selection for the student board, Swetha says, she feels fortunate to have met Michelle Obama at the school counselor of the year event. “I feel so lucky to be a part of this organisation because I really admire the work done by Mrs. Obama in encouraging youth to pursue education.” She was also named by the International Literacy Association’s 2016 ‘30 under 30’.

The Tamil connection she shares comes out strongly when she talks of her love for Bharatanatyam. “I’ve been dancing since I was  seven and completed my arangetram in Tirunelveli in 2015. I have always loved the fast-paced footwork and challenge of thillanas — dance will always be a part of my life,” she shares.

Talking about her goal, she says, “I would like to expand Everybody Code Now! to all the states in the US, as well as globally to regions where technology exposure is limited. I’m interested in implementing this program in Tamil Nadu, especially in government schools.

I would love to collaborate with organisations and like-minded people to make this a reality. We are increasingly dependent on technology, but very few of us are equipped to create — rather than simply use technology. I

look forward to working with others to expand early access to technology and engineering education and show youth that science, technology, and math are open to people of all genders and races,” she says, signing off.