By: Jessica Patterson

Code Camp by Red Sunflower is a 4-day event that inspires kids aged 10-15 to build a website and learn to code.

The camp is inspired by Red Sunflower Founder, Jessica Patterson’s experience learning to code and building theRedSunflower.com. Code Camp by Red Sunflower strives to uphold the values of the Red Sunflower brand: integrity, curiosity, and inclusiveness.

Code Camp by Red Sunflower strives to uphold the values of the Red Sunflower brand: integrity, curiosity, and inclusiveness.

The 2019 Code Camp Sponsors are Blackbaud, BoomTown, and Liollio Architecture.

Code Camp Sponsors are local businesses, with strong ties to Charleston South Carolina, who are committed to growing local tech talent.

Charleston is a great location for tech companies.

The cost of living is low compared to other tech hubs and the beaches/weather make it easy to recruit top talent. Blackbaud is a global organization that is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina.

Blackbaud offers web based tools that help large non-profit organizations raise money and build relationships with donors.

In February 2019 I attended Blackbaud’s Women in Cybersecurity Hackathon. Chief Technology Officer Mary Beth Westmoreland gave a presentation that addressed Blackbaud’s initiatives to combat the growing labor shortage and improve tech’s accessibility to women and minorities. She had a deep understanding of the challenges facing the tech industry today and seemed sincere in her desire to make a positive impact with Blackbaud.

Blackbaud Security Engineer Ashley Wyand gives a cybersecurity presentation at Code Camp by Red Sunflower

Later in the year, I met with Blackbaud Vice President and General Counsel Jon Olson to record a video testimonial. I told him about my background and experiences learning to code and starting Red Sunflower. He was instrumental in securing Blackbaud’s sponsorship for Code Camp 2019.

At Code Camp, Blackbaud Security Engineer Ashley Wyand gave a cybersecurity presentation that covered important topics such as creating strong passwords, being safe on social media, and careers in cybersecurity.

Charleston has seen rapid growth over the past 10 years.

An influx of people are moving to Charleston and local businesses are looking to technology to help them meet this increased demand.

BoomTown offers web based tools that help real estate brokerages generate and qualify leads.

BoomTown’s Nina Magnesson was an early supporter of Code Camp by Red Sunflower. Nina is BoomTown’s Catalyst for Citizenship and Social Innovation. As part of her role, Nina organizes Code On– a free after-school coding program for kids in Charleston. Code On attracts volunteers of diverse backgrounds to mentor and encourage young students.

Nina is passionate about increasing diversity in Charleston’s tech industry. She founded the Charleston Women in Technology Meetup group that has attracted more than 2,600 members. In June, Nina invited me to speak to a crowd of 150 attendees at their June meetup. I talked about my journey transitioning into a career in tech and how building my website, theRedSunflower.com cleared a pathway towards leadership. After the presentation, I was encouraged by women who said my story was relatable and inspiring.

Charleston is an old city with iconic landscapes and strong ties to history.

Local businesses must take special care to preserve Charleston’s unique qualities in the midst of change.

Liollio is an architectural design firm that has been a staple in Charleston for over 60 years.

I served with Dinos Liollio, FAIA, LEED AP on the Board of the West Ashley James Island Business Association (WAJIBA). At the monthly WAJIBA meetings, business people, government officials, and community leaders come together over lunch to discuss the rapidly changing West Ashley and James Island communities. Code Camp by Red Sunflower was held at Seacoast Church in West Ashley.

Liollio’s Marketing Director and Graphic Design Lead, Mez Joseph gives a presentation on design fundamentals at Code Camp by Red Sunflower

At Code Camp, Liollio’s Marketing Director and Graphic Design Lead, Mez Joseph presented on the fundamentals of good design. His interactive presentation covered topics such as colors, layout, and accessibility.

With the help of Code Camp Sponsors, Red Sunflower builds lasting relationships with parents, teachers, and students in-person and online to promote tech education and support local tech talent.

For information about sponsoring Code Camp by Red Sunflower 2020, contact Red Sunflower.