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Laura Dern and Booking.com join up to celebrate coding and young women

The travel and commerce site announced over $350,000 in scholarships for girls to study computer science.

Patrick Holland Managing Editor
Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.
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Ten girls from across the US attended the Women In Tech Code-a-thon at the CNET Smart Home in San Francisco over the weekend of April 28-29.

The two-day event was organized by the travel and commerce site Booking.com as a way to celebrate and bolster young women's talent in coding. Students aged 16 to 19 received instruction as well as one-on-one time to work on coding projects.

Actress Laura Dern, star of Jurassic Park and Big Little Lies, was on hand to announce over $350,000 worth of scholarships courtesy of Booking.com. The scholarships are for young women to study computer science at colleges including Cornell University and Spelman College.

"I care a lot about empowering young women, especially this new generation coming up, to really use their voice and demand a right to be in the room, in the boardroom, running the company having their voice heard," said Dern. "It felt like a perfect match to come together and inspire young women in the code-a-thon."

Throughout the weekend faculty from the Rithim School along with employees from Booking.com taught the girls coding. Watch the video below to see more of our interview with Laura Dern as well as hear from some of the young women who participated in the event.

Watch this: Laura Dern and Booking.com team up to boost young women coders

Originally published May. 19.

Update, May 20: Corrects dollar amount of scholarships.