This guide includes more information on how to use the programs used in GWC SIP 2024.

Use
the Table of Contents below to navigate this doc.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
HQ Tech Guide
Logging into HQ
Navigating HQ
Changing Your Name in HQ
Using the HQ Calendar and Events
Progress Tracking in HQ
Resetting HQ If Stuck
Zoom Tech Guide
Meeting Norms
Setting Up Zoom
Joining Zoom Meetings
Turn On/Off Camera on Zoom
Mute/Unmute Yourself on Zoom
Share your Screen
Interacting Virtually
Organizing Your Screen During Class Time
Replit Tech Guide
Signing Up for Replit
Accessing a Replit Core License
Logging In to Replit
Creating a Project
Forking a Project
Using the Editor
Saving a Project
Viewing your Project
Sharing or Submitting Project Code
Collaborating/Inviting Someone to Join a Project
Viewing Your Projects
General Replit Resources
Discord Tech Guide
Getting to know Discord
Signing up for Discord
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Safety
Getting Set Up in the Server
Logging into Discord
Who's in the Discord?
Using Channels
Flair Roles
Community Events
Using Threads
Using Forums
Lofi Music Bot

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HQ Tech Guide
Girls Who Code HQ, or HQ for short, is our custom learning platform. This is where you can
access all of the resources you need including project materials, video tutorials, resources,
meeting links, and your calendar.

When you go to hq.girlswhocode.com, you will see the landing page, Click on SIP & SPP to sign
in. If you are also involved in a Girls Who Code Club, you will have a separate sign in.

Logging into HQ
You should have received an email with the title Welcome to Girls Who Code HQ. Click on the
link in the email to log into HQ with the email account you used to register for SIP. If you used a
Gmail account to register, you can choose Continue with Google. If you have multiple accounts
and are unsure of what to use, please send an email to [email protected].

Navigating HQ
When logging into HQ you will notice the following tabs in the navigation bar on the top right of
your window.

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Curriculum
This is where you can access all the curriculum materials related to the course.

Program Info
This is where you can see information about your section, schedule for the day, Staff bios, and if
applicable, partner information.

Progress
The progress tracker is where you can check and visualize the progress you have made on
different activities. This is also where you will find your answers, projects, and certificates as
they are added during the program.

Changing Your Name in HQ

When you receive your certificates, the name shown on your certificate will be the name listed in
your HQ Profile. We recognize that you may want to use different names in different settings.
For certificate purposes, please make sure the name on HQ matches the name you would like
on your certificate. This will avoid any delays in receiving your certificate.

You can note to your Teaching Team through your Zoom or Discord display names how you
prefer to be called.

To change your name on HQ, click on your icon in the top right corner, and click "View Profile."

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You will be taken to your Profile. Here, you can change your name and/or provide any other
information. Note that GWC Central, Teaching Staff, and other students will be able to read this.
To change your name, Click the pencil icon next to Account Info.

Now, you will be able to change your first and last name in HQ!

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Using the HQ Calendar and Events
In your HQ Calendar, you can view your:
● Class meetings
● Student Hours

Just click on the Zoom link to join during the specified time!

You can also view this information under the "Program Info" tab at the top right corner of HQ.
The right side will show a schedule box for upcoming events for the day.

Updating Your Timezone

HQ automatically recognizes your timezone and shows you events in your time zone.
Sometimes you may want to change your timezone. This is easy to do.
1. On the left hand side scroll down to the Timezone section and click Change Timezone.
2. A window will pop up prompting you to select a new timezone (time zones in HQ are
location based). Select the timezone you want to change to and click Submit.

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Syncing the HQ Calendar to Your Preferred Calendar App
You can sync the HQ Calendar to your preferred calendar tool so you can get updates and
reminders. This is easy to do.
1. On the left hand side scroll down to the Calendars section and click Subscribe.
2. A window will pop up prompting you to subscribe to the HQ calendar using the URL
below.
3. Copy the link and use it to subscribe to the app of your choice. Look at the specific
directions for your app of choice to set this up.

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Progress Tracking in HQ
During the program, you’ll be able to view your progress on each project and the course overall.
The Progress Tracking tool is helpful because it allows you to jump back into an activity right
where you left off and visualize what activities you still need to complete.

To get to the Progress Tracker tool:

1. Select the Progress tab on the navigation bar.
2. You will automatically land on the Activities tab. Your latest activity will be surfaced as
well as the date of your last activity.
3. You can click the down arrow on the right side of a row to go directly to the Curriculum
set.

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As you complete parts of the curriculum, you will also start to see additional options on the
Progress page. Any answers you submit to questions in the curriculum can be found in the
Answers tab.
1. On the Progress page, click the Answers tab.
2. To view comments, click the comment icon.

You will see symbols in the Curriculum and on the Progress page.
Student View Symbol Description

You will see this symbol when grading an answer is required.

You will see this symbol when grading is not required on the Progress
> Answers tab.

You will see this when an answer is marked as complete on the

Progress > Answers tab.

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 You will see this when an answer is marked incomplete on the
Progress > Answers tab. You will also receive an email that your
answer needs attention.

You will see this when an answer is submitted and pending a grade
on the Progress > Answers tab.

You will see this when an answer is submitted and pending a grade
on the Progress > Activities tab.

You will see this when there is a comment on an answer on the

Progress > Answers tab.

Once you have submitted a Project, a Projects tab will appear and your projects will be shown
below.

And finally, when you earn your certificate, it will also show up here. It will also show up in your
User Profile.

Note that the NAME that will show up on the certificate is the name that appears on HQ. If you
would like a different name to appear on your certificate, go into Profile, and change your
name.
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If you have questions about your certificate, please contact your Teaching Team.

Resetting HQ If Stuck
If you notice that HQ is not loading or you are stuck on a blank screen you may need to clear
your browser’s cache. As you use the internet your browser saves the history of everything you
have viewed, this makes it difficult to load content on HQ.
1. On your browser, open up the more
menu and find "Clear Browsing
Data…"

2. This will open a new window. Click

All time in the drop down menus
under Time Range and check
Browsing history and Cached
images and files.

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Zoom Tech Guide
Zoom will be our main video conferencing software throughout the program and will be used to
connect with instructors, peers, and partners.

Meeting Norms
● Always mute yourself when joining meetings. Only unmute when called upon if you have
a question or to share. Even if you are being very quiet, having background noise while
someone else is speaking can be distracting.

● Follow classroom norms. Your Teaching Team may have specific norms that they prefer
when interacting through Zoom. Since there may be delays in video and voice, there are a
number of ways you can interact with each other without distracting the person who is
speaking. You can either raise your hand, use reactions, use the chat feature, or
physically give a thumbs up to acknowledge each other.

● Be respectful of one another. If you notice a classmate hasn’t gotten a chance to speak
yet, lift them up by offering a space to share.

Setting Up Zoom
You can join Zoom links using either your browser or desktop client. (Note that GWC will not be
providing you with a paid license.) Using the browser does not require a Zoom account. If you
already have an account and would like to download the Zoom desktop client, follow the
instructions linked here.

Configuring Name Settings

You can input your display name when joining a call. You should display your first name, first
letter of your last name, and your current preferred pronouns. For example: Samantha H
(she/her).

To edit your display name once you’re in the meeting, click the three dots on the thumbnail of
your face and click “Rename”. Alternatively, you can click the three dots next to your name in
the Participants view and choose “Rename” in the drop down menu.

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Adding a Virtual Background
If you have a Zoom account and downloaded the Zoom client, you can follow the instructions
below to add a virtual background.

On the bottom left corner of your control bar, click on the arrow on the Stop/Start Video button.
A pop-up will appear - click on "Choose Virtual Background…"

The Settings box will come up with a preview of your video. Under your preview, you can blur
your background, select a preloaded background, or add a new one by clicking on the plus (+)
button at the bottom right of your video preview. You can add an image or video from your
computer. Please make sure your background is respectful and follows Summer Programs
expectations.

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Joining Zoom Meetings
Option 1: Join via Browser
If you are joining via browser:
● This will open up a new window and prompt you to open zoom.us on your computer.
Click Cancel in the pop up window.

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● At the bottom of the webpage, click Join from Your Browser.

● This will open up a new page and prompt you to allow microphone and camera. Click
Allow in the pop up window. If this window does not pop up, you might have to configure
your pop-up blocker. Check the address bar for a message or blocked pop-up icon.

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 ● Type in your first name, last initial, and current preferred pronouns and check the box
below that says "Remember my name for future meetings." For example, your name
might be "Rory C. (they/them)." Lastly, click "Join" to join the Zoom meeting.

Option 1: Join via Zoom App

If you are joining via the app:

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 ● This will open up a new window and prompt you to open zoom.us on your computer.
Click Open zoom.us in the pop up window.

● Next, click Join with Video , to turn on your video for the meeting. Next you will click Join
with Computer Audio.

Turn On/Off Camera on Zoom

Follow along with the directions below to learn how to turn on or off your camera.

1. Click the Camera Button on the bottom left of the menu.

2. You should now see the button show a red slash over the icon indicating you're camera

is off . You should also see that your Zoom box only shows your name or profile
picture.

3. To turn on your camera, click the Camera button again and the red slash should be
removed from the icon.

Mute/Unmute Yourself on Zoom

Follow along with the directions below to learn how to mute or unmute your mic.

1. Click the Microphone Button on the bottom left of the menu.

2. You should now see the button show a red slash over the icon indicating you are muted

. You should also see the same icon show up on the bottom left corner of your
video.

3. To unmute, click the Microphone button again and the red slash should be removed from
the icon.

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 4. If using a headset you may want to change your microphone and speaker settings. To do
this click the small arrow on the right of the microphone button and select the
microphone and speaker you want.

Share your Screen

There may be times when you will be asked to share your screen, like during feedback sessions
and Student Hours. For the most part you will not be sharing your screen but if you want to meet
with a partner to pair program or work through a problem together then you might share your
screen.

Locate the Share Screen icon on the bottom menu. This will pop up a screen with all
of your windows open on your computer. You may choose to share your entire screen or just a
single window.

Interacting Virtually
There are a number of different ways to interact with your group in a virtual meeting without
disrupting the speaker. You can either raise your hand, use reactions, use the chat feature, or
physically give a thumbs up to acknowledge each other.

Raise Your Hand and Use Reactions

Click the Reactions button on the bottom right of your menu. You can choose from the
clapping emoji 👏 👍 ❤️ 😂
😮 🎉 ✋
, the thumbs up emoji , the heart emoji , the crying/laughing emoji , the
surprised emoji , the celebratory emoji , or the Raise Hand feature .

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Click on the three dots to access more emojis.

Raise Hand
✋
If you use the ✋
Raise Hand feature, you will be able to Lower Hand, which will remove the
hand icon from your name, by clicking on Reactions again.

Chat with Everyone or Privately with the Host

Click the More button on the bottom-right menu and choose the Chat option. This will open a
chatting window on the right side of your window with a history of all of the public comments.

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You can send a message to everyone or privately to the host (the Teaching Staff running the
Zoom). Remember that the chat is saved at the end of the meeting. To do this, click the three
dots on the bottom-right of the chat and select Host Only if you want to send a private message
or Everyone publicly to send a message to everyone.

To Pop out the chat window, click the arrow on the top left of the chat window and select the
Pop Out option. This will open a new window with just the Zoom chat.

Participating in a Zoom Poll

Your teaching team will use Zoom polls as a way to check for understanding when the class
learns a new concept. This is helpful because it allows them to know if they need to spend more
time on that concept. After the meeting host launches the poll, participants in the meeting are
prompted to answer the polling questions. When everyone has finished, your instructor may or
may not display the results.

Zoom Annotations
Meeting participants can annotate on a shared screen as a viewer or the one that started
sharing their screen. You can also use annotation tools when sharing or viewing a whiteboard.
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 Accessing The Annotation Tools If You Are Viewing A Shared Screen
1. While viewing a shared screen or shared whiteboard, click View Options then
Annotate at the top.

Using Stamp/Draw
1. You will see these annotation tools:

Note: The Select, Spotlight, and Save options are only available if you started the
shared screen or whiteboard.

2. To use the draw tool to insert lines, arrow, and shapes, click on Draw.
Note: To highlight an area of the shared screen or whiteboard, select the
following square or circle icon to insert a semi-transparent square or circle.

3. To use the stamp tool to insert predefined icons like a check mark or star, click on
Stamp.

Clearing Annotations
1. Click Clear to delete all annotations.

Exiting Full Screen Mode

To exit Full Screen on Zoom simply press the Esc button on your device to shrink the screen.

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Organizing Your Screen During Class Time
During Class your Teacher will be sharing their screen with the lesson slides projected.
Depending on the activity, you may need to open HQ, code in Replit, reference a PDF of the
slides, or access another tool.

We recommend setting up your screen with Replit on one side and your Zoom screen on the
other side. Your Replit code, HQ, the slide PDF, or any other tool you need for that activity should
be in the same browser window

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Replit Tech Guide
Replit is the code editor we will use throughout the program. It is a browser-based IDE
(integrated development environment - think of it as an editor that can also run code) that
supports multiple programming languages and has more support for screen readers than other
browser-based editors.

Note that your video tutorials will also cover how to use Replit if you prefer to learn by video.

Signing Up for Replit

We recommend that you sign up using your personal email account.
1. To sign up, you can either manually set one up by typing in a username, your email, and a
password, or you can sign up with a Google or GitHub account.

To manually sign up for an account, choose

"Continue with email" and use your personal
email and create a password.

If you sign up using Google or Github, this will

open a new window for you to log in with your
Google or GitHub account.

For "Where do you plan to use Replit?," you can use "For school." Then for the second question
"How much software creation experience do you have?" select what applies to you.

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You will then be taken to another screen - on the bottom right click Explore Replit.

Your username will be based on the email, Google, or Github account you used to create an
account. Please make sure you do not use your first and last name.

🚫Do not use your first and last name as your username 🚫
You can use a nickname or your first name and last initial. If your account contains your full
name, follow these instructions from Replit to change your username in Replit:

Go to the CLI. Make sure you are logged into Replit, then click "account."

Click on "account" and then "change-username"

A pop-up will appear to change your username. Type in a new one, then click submit. You can
only change it one time.

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Accessing a Replit Core License
In 2024, all SIP students have the opportunity to sign up for a Replit Core account license. Replit
Core allows you to share your games as a standalone website and grants you access to Replit
AI coding tools. You do not need access to Replit Core to participate in SIP, but it will give you
more tools for your SIP tool belt! You can sign up now using the form in HQ. You will have
access to the license for three months once the account is provisioned to you on Day 3 of Week
1.

Logging In to Replit
Go to replit.com/login.

If you signed up manually:

1. Type in your Email or Username and Password. Reminder: Do not use your first and last
name as your username. You can use a nickname or your first name and last initial. Look
at the blue box above to see how to change your username.
2. If you forgot your password you can click "Forgot password?" and follow the instructions
to reset your password.

If you have a Replit associated with a Google, GitHub, Facebook, or Apple account:
1. Choose the way you signed up.
2. Next, a new tab will open up. Login to Google, GitHub, Facebook, or Apple.
3. Once you’ve done that, the new tab that opened will close and you will be logged in on
your original Replit tab. Note that you may have to press Log in again, and it should
automatically sign you in.

Creating a Project
1. Click on + Create Repl in the top left corner.

2. A box will pop-up that will allow you to choose the Template or coding language. The
Template will depend on what course you are in. Note that throughout the program you
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 will most likely be forking a project (instructions below) rather than creating a project
from scratch.
3. Make sure to give your project a name on the right side under Title.

Forking a Project
"Forking" refers to making a copy of an existing software project to customize or further develop
it, a practice often seen in open source projects.

1. Open up the project you want to fork.

2. Click on fork, found either near the top right corner or below the project preview. You
must be logged into your Replit account to see this button.

3. After you click on fork, a box will appear to edit the name and description of your copy of
the project. Add your name and your last name initial, then press Fork Repl.

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 4. The page will load and the project will open. This project is your copy of the code and will
appear in your My repl folder.

Using the Editor

Check your specific tutorial for the suggested panel layout for your workflow.
● The left panel shows the different files you will be editing. You can view or hide this panel
by clicking on the top left icon. Pay attention to the video tutorials to see which file you
should be editing.
● The panel in the middle is the code editor. When you click on a file, the contents will open
up here. You edit the contents and code here.
● To save your code, be sure you are “online”, meaning you have a stable internet
connection and click Run at the top of the webpage.
○ Webview: This will usually automatically appear to show the visuals in your
game.
○ Console: This is where text output from your program will appear such as
anything you write into it or any errors.

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If your Replit layout does not look like pictured above, you can drag panels by their tabs to
reorganize them. If you do not see the panel you are looking for, you can open it by clicking on
the icon under "Tools" in the left panel under the files.

📌Reminder 📌
You should NOT include any personally identifiable information on your projects. This includes
things like: last name (use an initial), email, address, phone number, social media account
names, and school name.

Saving a Project
Replit will automatically save your project for you, but be sure to have a stable internet
connection and press Run before you exit your project to ensure that it gets saved.

Viewing your Project

Option 1: In the web view tab
Allows you to easily see your project right next to the code.
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Step 1: Open your project in Replit.
Make sure you are logged in.

Step 2: Run your code. The webview

should pop up automatically.

Step 3: If the webview does not

appear, you can click on the plus sign
to create a New tab. Then scroll
down to select "Webview."

Run your code again.

Option 2: Open in a new tab

Allows you to see your project as a full website, but you cannot share this link for other people to
see.

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Step 1: Run the code so that the
webview is showing.

Step 2: Click on "New Tab" on the This might look like:

right side of the Webview.

Or:

Step 3: Your webview will pop up in a

new tab without the code. Note that
you viewers cannot use this link to
view the project.

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Option 3: Deploy your project
Allows you to see your project as a full website. You can share this link with friends and family. It
will be live for the entirety of your Replit Core license.

Step 1: Click Deploy in the top right

corner of the editor to open the
window.

Step 2: Click on Static then click Set

up your deployment

Step 3: Provide deployment

information. There are two fields that
you need to complete:
Primary domain: Type the
project name, dash, your first
name, dash, your last initial.
Remind students to never use
their last names!
○ Example:
MyProject-Zel-G
Public directory: Type a
forward slash only - /
Leave Build command and
Deployment secrets blank.

Step 4: Click Deploy. Note that this

may take up to a minute.

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Step 5: Test your deployed site. Once
deployment is complete, you will see
the Domain with the title you typed in
Step 3. Click this link to see your fully
hosted website:

Sharing or Submitting Project Code

1. Be sure you have named your project, and make sure your project is "Public." Access
these settings by clicking the project name in the top left corner. "Public" should be
highlighted in blue at the bottom of the new menu.

2. Copy the URL and paste is where you want to share it.
3. This will share the Cover page where people can see the code, fork your project, and
leave comments.
a. In order for viewers to run your project, they have to fork it. They cannot run it
from the Cover page.

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Collaborating/Inviting Someone to Join a Project
To collaborate or invite someone to join your project. This will allow another person to edit your
project.This gives someone else editing privileges. You should NOT share this link with anyone
you do not know from GWC and trust.
1. Click on Invite in the top right corner of the page.
2. Invite someone to collaborate one of two ways
a. Invite people by searching their username or inviting by email and click Invite in
the modal.
b. Turn on Private join link, and copy and paste the link to share.

* REMEMBER: This gives someone else editing privileges. You should NOT share this link with
anyone you do not trust.

Viewing Your Projects

To view your projects, go to the Homepage, and open up the
hamburger menu in the top left corner if it is not already. Click "My
Repls" to open a page with all your repls. You can also click on the
arrow next to "My Repls" to view recently edited projects.

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Using Replit AI: Guidelines
Replit AI is a chat-based coding assistant that you have access to this summer. This assistant
can explain, debug, and even write code for you. But when should you use it during a project?

At GWC, we believe that recent advances in AI will shift the tech landscape dramatically in the
years to come, specifically related to generative AI. But what is generative AI actually? We like
this definition from Aspen Digital:

Generative AI is a subset of artificial intelligence technologies that are used to create new
content, such as images or text, based on patterns in large amounts of existing content.
Generative AI differs from classification AI—like email spam filtering or tumor detection
used in medical settings—because generative AI systems are designed to make content,
not to make decisions.

We believe that learning computer science will also change as generative AI (or genAI) tools
become more integrated across platforms we use to develop new applications, tools, and more.
This is one reason we are so excited to offer Replit AI as another tool in your box. We also think
it is important to be explicit about the guidelines you should follow when using this tool to make
the most out of this experience!

General Use
Below you will find specific guidelines and tips, but here are two of the most important:

➔ Never, ever enter personally identifiable information into a generative AI tool. This
includes items like: last name, email, address, phone number, social media account
names, and school name.
➔ Always take a critical approach to the output of Replit AI. These tools are not perfect
or infallible and can produce incorrect, irrelevant, or biased results. You should always
review the generated content to check for accuracy, contextual appropriateness, and
bias. Use your best judgment and if you’re not sure, use another approach to verify the
information.

You should use Replit AI to…

Explain a concept, syntax, function, etc. that you don’t understand yet.
➔ Highlight the code you want to learn more about. Right click and select Explain. Read
through the response. If you are still not clear, click Retry or Reply in chat and type in your
question. For example, I still don’t understand X. Can you explain it to me step-by-step?

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Help you debug or troubleshoot code you have already written AFTER you have tried to solve it
on your own.
➔ If you know where the bug is from Devtools or you think you know where it is, highlight
the code with the problem. Right click and select Explain. Read through the explanation
and follow up with more questions if you need to.
➔ If you are not sure where it is, go to the left navigation bar, click AI under Tools. this will
open a new tab with a message bar. Type in the prompt or question for your idea. Here is
a prompt structure you can use to get started:
◆ I am a student learning about [topic] with [no/some/lots of] experience in
[programming language]. My goal is to [describe the output you want to happen
in as much detail as possible]. I have tried to [describe actions you have already
taken], but I am still not sure how to [describe the challenges you are facing in
detail]. Please review the code in the [file name]. Explain the errors and/or
misconceptions I have about how it works based on the goal I stated above.
Suggest three solutions that could help me fix the problem.

Help you implement an idea for your project AFTER you have already tried on your own. In the
left navigation bar, click AI under Tools. This will open a new tab with a message bar. Type in the
prompt or question for your idea. Here is a prompt structure you can use to get started:
➔ I am a student learning about [topic] with [no/some/lots of] experience in [programming
language]. I want to develop a program that [describe the output you want to happen in
as much detail as possible]. I know that I need to do the following: [describe the
pseudocode that you have, like draw the ball to the screen or update the variable to
increment]. Write a basic starter program and describe how it works.

Help you formulate a question to take to Student Hours or post in the Discord #debugging
channel. Remember, you don't only have to rely on AI - you can rely on the GWC team and your
peers to help you debug! If you're not quite sure where your problem is, you can use the tips
above to better pinpoint where the problem in your code is. When receiving help, it's always
useful to list the different things you have tried so the person who is helping you can find the
bug faster!

You should NOT use Replit AI to…

Build all or part of your project without trying first. This is about creating the best conditions
possible for you to learn, rather than about cheating. Productive struggle is a critical part of the
learning process. When you’re not sure how to get started, don’t go to AI immediately. Sit with it
and try to think it out. Draw it out. Describe the problem to your fav stuffed animal. Go take a

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walk. An idea may come to you when you try these. If not, then head to AI to help you get
started.

General Replit Resources

● General Link to Replit Documentation
● Link to Replit blog for announcements

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Discord Tech Guide
Getting to know Discord
What is Discord?
Discord is a chat app (mobile and browser) that supports text, file, and media sharing in
communities called servers. Think of it as your virtual hangout space for the program. It’s where
you’ll connect to get help with your projects, meet other members of the program, and find other
students that share similar passions and interests. You can choose to either download the
Discord app on your computer or mobile, or navigate to the browser version at discord.com.

Layout
You will be part of a GWC 2024 server. Servers are spaces on Discord made by specific
communities and friend groups. You will only use one server for your program. Servers are
organized into text and voice channels. Channels are dedicated to specific topics and can have
different rules. GWC Servers will mainly be using text channels where you can post messages,
upload files, and share images for others to see at any time. In channels, you can send
messages, or scroll to see what others are saying. The Lofi Music music channel on our server
will keep you on mute with a chat feature available, and we’ll utilize the Community Events
channel for special synchronous events throughout the summer!

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Signing up for Discord
Follow the instructions below to sign up for Discord. If you already have a Discord account,
make sure you are signed into that account before joining the GWC 2024 server.

1. If you do not have an account, download the app or go to Discord.com/register in your

browser and create an account. If you have an account, login on your app or at
Discord.com/login.
a. If you are creating a new account, verify your account by clicking on the
confirmation link sent to your email. If you do not see an email from Discord, try
clicking "Resend Confirmation Email" and refreshing your email, or checking in
your Spam folder.

2. Open your Discord app and click on the “+” button on the bottom left in the server
navigation pane.

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3. A new popup will appear. At the bottom, select “Join a server.” Then, enter the invite code
from your Student Orientation and press “Join server.”

4. A blue banner will appear asking you to complete some tasks. Press “Complete.”
Carefully read through the Server Rules. Once you have read and understood the Server
Rules, check the box "I have read and agree to the rules." Then press Submit.

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Safety
Discord Safety
1. Secure your account. Create a strong password with a mix of uppercase and lowercase
letters, numbers and special characters. Do not use the same password for multiple
accounts or platforms.
2. Set your privacy & safety settings. These settings can be accessed under User Settings
→ Privacy & Safety. You should also adjust who can Direct message you (DM) or add you
as a friend. We recommend that you consult with your parent/guardian when setting up
your account privacy.
3. Please exercise caution and refrain from sharing sensitive information about yourself
or others on this platform, such as personal emails, phone numbers or home addresses.
While we expect GWC Discord Server members to honor the confidentiality of this space,
we cannot guarantee adherence. Like any other online environment, you should take
steps to protect yourself and others when interacting in a public online community.

Messaging
While direct messages (DMs) are possible in Discord, we will NOT use DMs for any GWC
program. This is to reduce risk and provide visibility into communications as a precaution. If you
have a private question for your Teaching Team, you should message them on HQ or email.
GWC Staff will NOT DM you. Exercise caution if you do receive DMs, and do not respond to
anyone you do not know. Take steps to protect yourself and others.

Additional Resources
Follow these links for safety tips, security tips, mental health tips, and accessibility
recommendations.

If you have any questions or concerns around safety, please email

[email protected].

Getting Set Up in the Server

When you first join the server, you will only see the Code of Conduct channel. You will have to
submit your Discord Username and Discord Server Nickname on HQ to be assigned the right
role. You won't be able to post until you are assigned a role.

Please be patient as we are working as fast as possible at the beginning of the program to get
everyone into the Discord Server. If you are not assigned a role after 48 hours, you can contact

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our moderators: Summer Law ([email protected]) and Christopher Vallarta
([email protected])

Finding your Discord Username

Click on your Profile Picture and Display Name on the bottom
left hand corner. In the pop-up, your username will be under
your Display Name in smaller text.

We recognize you may use Discord in your personal life, but

please make sure your Discord username, display name,
profile, and picture are respectful and follow the Code of
Conduct during the program. You will not be assigned a role
in the server if we find your account breaks the Code of
Conduct.

Change your Server Nickname

Your Server Nickname will be the name that appears in the GWC Server. GWC Staff, Teaching
Team, and your peers will see this name when you interact on Discord. After joining the server,
please update your server nickname using the following naming convention:
First Name Last Name
Example: Mae Jemison

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Logging into Discord
Either open up the app on your computer or phone or type into a search browser
discord.com/login.

Type in your username and password, and click Login. If you forgot your password, click on
"Forgot your password?" and follow the steps onscreen to recover your account.

You can check out this link for alternative ways to log in.

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Who's in the Discord?
Along with students in your program, the Discord will also include others to keep our community
feeling supported, safe, and thriving. You can view the roles of people in the Discord by clicking
on their username in a channel or viewing what role they are under in the Member List panel on
the right that lists all participants in the Discord server.

Teaching Teams
Teaching Teams including Instructors and TAs are there to engage with you during
asynchronous times either about course-related or even off-topic subjects. There will be a
channel dedicated to your classroom. Keep in mind that Discord should not be your main point
of contact for private questions–please send them an email. Bios can be viewed in your Student
Orientation.

Moderators
Moderators will help keep us safe by making sure all participants are following the Code of
Conduct and treating each other with kindness and respect. Moderators will have some
experience in Computer Science, but they should not be your first point of contact if you need
help with your coursework. You should contact your Teaching Team. Bios can be viewed in your
Student Orientation.

Girls Who Code Central

These are the folks that work throughout the year at Girls Who Code! They are made up of folks
involved in Clubs, Loops, SIP, SPP, Challenges, and everything else that goes on. We might ask
for some feedback to make the next version even better or diving into some off-topic
discussions!

Using Channels
Each channel has a specific topic or purpose. To keep channels organized, be sure what you are
posting is relevant to the channel. Descriptions of each channel are listed in the table below.

Channels
Welcome and Info 👋
Code of Conduct Access the server code of conduct and rules.

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Announcements GWC Staff post announcements for events and Student
Hours.

FAQ Have any questions? Start here! *This is a Forum channel

Style. Check out Using Forums for more information.

Need Help If you are unable to see the rest of the server, please follow
the troubleshooting guidelines!

Choose Your Flair Tell us a little about yourself with our new flair roles! *Check
out Flair Roles for more information

Community Events 🗓️
Movie Night We'll be hosting two synchronous Community Events! These
will be visible the day of the event.
Game Night

Surprise Event

Community 🗣️
Introductions Introduce yourself to your peers and Teaching Team!

Share Outs and Shout Shout out a peer or Teaching Team member who helped you!
Outs Additionally, share any projects that you’re proud of!

Debugging Need help? Post a link to view your code along with your
question to get help from your peers! *This is a Forum
channel Style. Check out Using Forums for more
information.

Tech Connect Connect with other GWC students and learn about women
and nonbinary people in the tech space! Please note: You
must be 16 years or older to have a LinkedIn profile.

Round 1/2/3 Classes 💻

Class Name Your SIP classroom’s channel! Connect with your classmates
and Teaching Team here.

Hobbies + Off Topic

General For all those little conversations that you’re not quite sure
where they belong!

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 Memes Share any funny memes you come across!

Bookworms For all your book-lover needs!

Pets We demand pet pics!

Music Share your current fav songs/playlists or whatever you like to

code to!

Games What are you playing right now?

Movies and TV Easy on the spoilers! What are you watching right now?

Channels below in gray and with asterisks are hidden unless you have the corresponding Flair
Role.

Crochet and Knitting* Calling all fiber artists: share your creations here!

Foodies* What’s cookin’? Share your recipes and tips!

Exercise and Sports* Staying active? Share your PRs, tips, and questions!

Art and Photography* Have a piece of art you want to share? Post your pics here!

Music Channel

Lofi Music Listen to some Lofi music with your fellow coders! *Check out
Lofi Music Bot for more information.

Flair Roles
Flair roles are a way to share what your interests are as well as give you access to some hobby
channels. In order to add your flair roles, follow the instructions below:
1. Ensure that you are a member of the Discord server.
2. Once our Moderator has assigned you the Student role, you will see several new
channels open up, including one called #choose-your-flair under the category
Welcome and Info. Click on the #choose-your-flair channel to open it.

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3. Now you will see several messages sent by our bot. Each question will have buttons
underneath it, as demonstrated in the image below. Follow the directions for each
question and choose all roles that you are interested in displaying!

4. Once you’ve chosen all of your roles, find your name in the right-hand sidebar. Left
click on your username to show your profile and ensure that your roles appear to be
correct. If you have any trouble, please @ one of our Discord Moderators.

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 5. If you chose any hobbies, you should also see that those roles have granted you
access to private channels in the Hobbies + Off Topic category, as shown below.

Community Events
We will have Community Events through our Discord! Community Events are an opportunity to
bond with your fellow peers in a casual way. To join, a Stage Channel for that specific
Community Event will appear on the day of. During the time of the event, you can join the Stage
Channel.

For information on Stage Channels, check out the Discord documentation here. Stage Channels

are shown with an icon of a person with two semi circles on top: . You will join as an
audience member where you will be muted, but you can interact with your peers through chat.

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Using Threads
Threads are a named grouped conversation within a channel, and are viewable in the channel
sidebar. Threads are created from messages sent in the channel. They make discussions easier
to follow when there are multiple topics happening within a single channel.

Threads will be considered active, archived, and/or joined.

● Active Threads are threads that have had a message in the last 24 hours.
● Archived threads have not had activity in the last 24 hours, but adding a new message
will make it active again.
● Joined Threads are active threads you have sent a message to.

Viewing a Thread
To view a thread, you can:
1. When you are looking through a channel, you can see threads underneath a message if
one was created. Clicking on the thread will open up a new column on the right side
where you can see all the messages in the thread

2. You can also see thread activities in the channel in the top with the hashtag and chat

bubble sign . This panel will tell you the latest activity on a thread.

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 3. If you join a thread, it will be listed underneath the channel on the left sidebar. This will
only show the first three threads you joined. After 24 hours of no new activity in the
thread, the thread will be archived and will no longer appear in your sidebar. The thread
will still exist under the original message.

Responding to a Thread
To respond to a thread, open up a thread using one of the listed options above. Send a message
in the thread by typing in the textbox and pressing enter. Once you have added a message to a
thread, you will have joined a thread.

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Creating a New Thread
1. Go to the Discord message you would like to create a new thread for.
2. Hover your cursor in the top right corner and click on the "Create Thread" icon with a

hashtag and speech bubble . A new column will appear to the right.
3. Name the thread into something descriptive. Be as specific as possible, so other
students will be able to tell what the thread is about.
4. On the rightmost column, send a message to the thread.

Using Forums
The #faq and #debugging channel are Forum Channels. This means that the channel will be
organized by discussions, and students can respond to discussions with replies. This allows you
to:
● Easily browse through previously asked questions
● Tag questions with topics
● Search conversations using the Search Bar or filter by tags

Your Teaching Team will NOT be regularly moderating these channels - if you would like
assistance from a Teaching Team member, be sure to post in your Classroom channel. If you
do not see your question posted, you can start a new post. Be sure to tag your post with the
appropriate tag.

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#faq
You will not be able to create any new posts, but you can search and comment in existing posts.
Tags for #faq include:
➔ Attendance
➔ Student Hours
➔ Completion Requirements
➔ Other

#debugging
If you do not see your question posted, you can start a new post. Be sure to tag your post with
the appropriate tag:
➔ Interactive Avatar
➔ CYOA Game
➔ Collection Game
➔ Game Jam Project
➔ Mini Games
➔ Other

To create a high quality #debugging post, consider the following:

1. Title the post with keywords and specifics. For example, “Unable to center image in
HTML”. By including specifics in your title, students will better understand how to help
you, and future students can more easily search for similar issues they’re having!
2. Include a link to your project in the body of the post. The best way to help you identify a
bug is letting someone else look at your code! Make sure your Replit link is set to public.
3. Be specific in the body of the post. This might look like talking about what result you’re
trying to achieve, sharing what you’ve already tried, and including line numbers that may
be causing you trouble.
4. Thank others for helping you. If someone responded and their suggestions were helpful,
give them a shoutout in the thread or even in the #shareouts-and-shoutouts channel!
5. Take what you learned and help others. Now that you’ve gotten the help you needed,
return the favor! Read through other questions and see where you might be able to help
your peers. Talk about sisterhood!

Lofi Music Bot

If you ever wanted to sit in a voice channel and code along with your fellow coders, this is your
chance! We’ve added a Lofi Music bot that will play music on the server 24/7. In order to listen,
follow the directions below:

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1. Scroll down to the Music Channel category on the GWC 2024 Discord server.

2. Click on the channel “Lofi Music” to join the voice channel. There, a user will always
be present called “Lofi Radio.” NOTE: You will be unable to unmute and talk with
other users in the channel.

3. Ensure that the bot is unmuted by right clicking on the bot name and unchecking the
“mute user” box. Adjust the volume so that it is comfortable for you.

4. If you’d like to “chat” with other users present, you can utilize the text channel
attached to the Lofi Music channel by hovering over the name of the channel and
clicking on the voice bubble as seen below. This button will open a new channel for
you to chat with your fellow programmers.

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5. Code and jam away!

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