Bella Motsco '21 recently received a National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in Computing Award. NCWIT, a nonprofit focused on increasing women's participation in the computing field, established the awards program to support and recognize young women interested in computer science and to nurture community. Awardees are selected based on interest and achievements in computing, leadership ability, academic performance, and a desire to pursue IT professionally.
Bella has been passionate about computer science since she got her first taste of coding as a fifth grader at her prior school. From there, she sought out summer programs, online classes, and eventually a variety of courses and extracurricular opportunities at Holton, where she transferred in the eighth grade.
"I've always been interested in the STEM subjects," Bella explains. "Math and science have always been my thing, so I knew computer science would be up my alley. I really love the challenge it presents. For me, it's like trying to solve a puzzle, and it is so rewarding once I finally figure it out. It is also one of the fastest growing fields in the US and there is a great need for women in the field. These facts, coupled with my passion for programming, are why I want to major in computer programming in college."
At Holton, Bella, who is only a sophomore, has taken the school's Computer Science: Web Development course and participated in both the 3D Printing and Computer Programming Club and the Robotics Club. She is currently taking AP Computer Science through One Schoolhouse, a partner organization that provides supplemental online courses for students at member schools.
The accomplishment Bella has taken the most pride in so far is an AP Computer Science project. "We were supposed to use as much as possible of what we have learned in school, and in math at Holton, we'd been learning about vectors," or objects with both magnitude and direction. "I decided to make a vector calculator, which was challenging, but I really enjoyed applying what I'd been learning in math and combining it with my computer science skills."
Bella has also enjoyed helping other young people learn to code, particularly girls, and has found many opportunities to share her skills. At Holton, she helped teach coding to classmates during a eighth-grade math unit on computer science, and she liked it so much that she began volunteering at the KID Museum, which offers hands-on STEM education for area youngsters.
Bella looks forward to future opportunities to explore computer science at Holton and beyond. She's especially interested in the school's prestigious Science Research Program, which provides summer internships for accepted students at area research laboratories and offers complementary coursework and preparation. For college and career, she notes that she still has time to decide, but says she's committed to a career in coding.
The award was a wonderful surprise, she says—nice recognition for something she's worked very hard at and cares deeply about. Bella and other Maryland affiliate winners will be honored at an award ceremony on April 7.
Above, Bella Motsco '21 (seated) and fellow Robotics Club members examine plans together.