Giving Compass' Take:

• Karlie Kloss started Kode With Klossy to help young women develop coding skills, confidence, and much more. 

• How can other celebrities capitalize on their fame for worthy causes? How can Kode With Klossy, and organizations like it, take the next step? 

• Learn more about the importance of mentoring.

Kloss is most passionate about Kode With Klossy, the nonprofit she founded in 2015.

How did coding become part of your life?

I ended up in a class in 2014 because I was curious about this language that a handful of people knew and were able to use to build things. After the first year of learning how to code, I put out on my social media platforms an offer for scholarships for 20 girls to learn the same. I got 1,000 entries for those spots.

What is meaningful to you about passing on your knowledge to girls?

There’s a real confidence that comes with learning something challenging. They’re recognizing their potential in an industry in which they previously hadn’t seen themselves.

They’re 13 to 18. Do you find that people in that age range like to be together and become a team easily? Is it a shared learning experience?

The thing that’s awesome is watching them not only become comfortable in group dynamics but build strong friendships. Often, young women don’t take coding classes in school, if they’re lucky enough to be offered them, because they might be the only girl. We wanted to eliminate the barriers to entry that could keep someone from entering that classroom in the first place.

What do you think about the importance of mentoring?

With the mentoring component of Kode With Klossy, there’s this byproduct that I never anticipated, which is the connection that is made throughout the community.

Read the full article about Kode With Klossy by Christy Turlington Burns at Luxury Style, Travel, and Leisure