MAITLAND, Fla. -- For a group of high school girls from Orange and Seminole counties, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to "get in the game."

• 10 coders chosen to participate in EA Sports STEM camp
• The free week-long event began Monday
• Goal is to include women inthe game creation process

“I’m like, 'What? I’m going to EA Sports headquarters?'" said Ruby Nunez, recalling the moment she found out she was selected for the program. “You see FIFA, Madden and all that. The fact that you get to go to the place, one of the places it’s actually created? It’s really cool.”

Nunez was one of 10 coders chosen to participate in the free week-long STEM camp at EA Sports, which began Monday.

It's an opportunity for the teens to walk away with not only knowledge, but also swag--mugs, notebooks and a new laptop. Not to mention, a guaranteed internship interview — once they get to college — with EA Sports.

“I wanted them to understand what the industry is about and what is it like," said Daryl Holt, vice president and head of operation for EA Sports. “The idea we’re trying to do differently with 'Get in the Game' is start a conversation and start a relationship. We have the ability to crank out some incredible talent here, and we want to make sure it stays in Central Florida.”

Holt kicked off the camp with a presentation for the group, before leading the girls on a winding tour of the Maitland facility, dipping into recording studios to testing labs.

“The more we can get the girls to think about what they can do with STEM and why it should be important to them, then hopefully they will see it … as a way of life," he said.

A gamer and fan himself, Holt has worked for EA for the last 14 years. And as of late, tackling the question of how to inspire and invest in future electronic artists, as the gaming industry surpasses $108 billion.

But the focus is more than just stemming the brain drain. It's about including women in the process of game creation.

“We need more diverse ideas, we need more perspectives," Holt said. “I, as a father of a 13-year-old girl, I want her to understand how STEM is the important foundation of everything we’re doing in this world."

This past year, Nunez learned to code. It came naturally, as the Apopka High School junior "loves math," takes AP computer science and grew up with computers.

But, the 16-year-old was still pinching herself as she walked down the halls lined with iconic video games.

“Usually when you do technology stuff, you’re only with a bunch of guys and the only girl. And now, I’m with a group of ten girls," she said. “I feel like they think that guys are the ones mostly into science and technology, when they see a girl, they think she’s not going to be that good at coding. We have the talent."

The teen hopes to gain contacts as she rounds out her high school days and eyes a future of computer programming study at the University of Central Florida.

“I’m hoping that when I do this, that I guess get more of a feel of what it’s going to be like. I am going to go for the internship," Nunez said. "It’s going to really prep for the future."