Can you read this? 01000011 01010011
It means "CS"—short for Computer Science.
In the world of computers, everything begins with binary, just 1s and 0s. In Aisha’s world, it all started with one choice - to try something new. Aisha always saw the world through a creative lens. As a child, she filled her days with drawing, dancing, and sewing activities that let her imagination run wild. Technology wasn’t always a part of her world, but her curiosity never stopped growing. That curiosity would one day lead her to an unexpected passion: computer science.
“I was always a creative child,” Aisha recalls. “But I never imagined that creativity could be expressed through code.”
Aisha’s journey into computer science began when she entered senior school in grade 9 in MIS. Faced with choosing a subject she was not really familiar with, she made a brave decision.
“One of the options was coding and computing. I hadn’t done it before, but I thought—why not take the risk? I knew if I didn’t like it, I could always switch. But from the very first lesson, I was hooked.”
What followed were two years filled with discovery, challenge, and excitement. At MIS, Aisha found not just a curriculum, but a community that encouraged her to explore and to create.
“I loved the diverse projects we did in grades 9 and 10,” she says. “We created websites, built programs, and used different types of programming languages. It felt powerful like I was building things that mattered.”
Aisha’s teachers played a huge role in this transformation. “I’m so grateful for my teacher, Maria - Ana Sanchez, who made learning fun and exciting,” she says. “And I’m thankful to MIS for giving us so many opportunities to try new things.”
As her skills grew, so did her confidence. Aisha began to notice something else, there were still very few resources that introduced computer science to young girls in a fun and accessible way. In fact, statistics show that women represent only 28.2% of the STEM workforce. She decided to do something about it.
“I thought back to when I was younger. I would have loved to learn coding if I had seen it presented as something creative and cool. That’s when the idea hit me: what if I created a computer science activity book just for girls?”
So she did.
Aisha created her own activity book for girls aged 6–9, introducing them to the world of coding through fun challenges, word chains, and empowering messages. Her goal was simple: to show girls that technology isn’t just about machines it’s about imagination, problem-solving, and creation.
“This was my first time writing and designing a book,” Aisha says proudly. “And now, I’ve shared it at MIS. You can even buy it through my Instagram page @code_yourdreams.”
What’s more, all proceeds from the book will be donated to Muenchner tafel, an organization that provides food and essential goods to over 20,000 people living in poverty.
“I want this book to make a difference—not just by inspiring girls, but by helping families in need,” she says.
Looking ahead, Aisha plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science. But more than that, she wants to keep combining her love for creativity and code to build a better world.
“I’m so glad I took that risk back in grade 9,” she reflects. “Sometimes, trying something new changes everything. I found something I love, and now I want to help others discover what they love, too.”
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