"Why wouldn't I want my kids to have the opportunity to choose that career path? And if I want that, why wouldn't I want that for all kids?" she said. "If they don't choose that, that's fine, but I at least want it to be an option.

"I see a future in Missoula for this kind of industry."

***

Sentinel business teacher Maria Bray is leading the Joy and Beauty of Computing this year alongside UM computer science professor Yolanda Reimer. Next year, Bray will take over solo.

"I've watched kids blossom in this program," Bray said as one student created a scene of snowflakes of different sizes and placements on the screen. "They start with real simple things, then the class questions it. If I can do this, how can I get it to do this other thing?"

There are two girls in her class, and she hopes more will join as word spreads. Lande's networking class is all boys.

Grady has seen that gender disparity at Lewis and Clark.

"In first through third grade, we tend to get an equal number of boys and girls," she said. "But by fourth and fifth grade the last few years, we've had 60 to 70 percent boys."