This past weekend, Zillow’s Lincoln office partnered with Girls Code Lincoln to host a free workshop – Coding Magic for Muggles. The event introduced local kids to coding in a fun and exciting way, using programmable Harry Potter wands. The attendees learned fundamental coding skills like loops, variables, and algorithmic design. Owls changed color, cauldrons jumped, and feathers levitated with the flick of a Bluetooth enabled wand and some magic code.
This workshop idea started as a Hackweek project last November and came to fruition less than a year later. My team worked to ensure the event was free to remove any income-driven barriers. When looking for a community partner, we prioritized inclusiveness and belonging to reach a diverse group of students and identified Girls Code Lincoln as the perfect match. We wanted all children to feel welcome to join, regardless of gender or income.
Our core value, Zillow Group is a team sport, was evident in every aspect of this cross-team, cross-office initiative. Locally, in Lincoln, volunteers from Marketing, QA, Customer Support, and Development worked together to put on an amazing event. We also received support from the Home Project team in our Seattle office, and the Cincinnati office provided laptops to make the event possible.
