A hackathon is typically a day to month-long event where coders, designers, engineers, leaders & subject-matter experts get together and work collaboratively to solve problems and pitch solutions to a group of judges and/or stakeholders. Lives can be changed after participating in a hackathon.
This hackathon is a day-long event for students interested in science, design and technology. It is free to attend, and all backgrounds are welcome. Students will work in diverse teams that address this year's theme of sustainability in the natural world, justifying this years' Hackathon theme: Nature.
Content and technical workshops will be provided by experts in these areas. Students are encouraged to bring laptops. Hardware, electronics & prototyping materials will be available for students to put together a proof of concept of their idea. At the end of the day, students will pitch their idea to a group of judges, and prizes will be awarded to the best idea and for presentations that satisfy a variety of specialized criteria. Meals and snacks are included.
This event is open to all LA County students in grades 9 - 12 who have an interest in coding, design, tech, and/or solving real problems that affect their peers. Tickets are be $10, and scholarship tickets are available for those who need them. A Google Form will be available to submit requests for scholarship tickets.
The event is a day long, taking place on Saturday, March 1st, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
This year's event is at Crossroads' Upper School campus. The address is 1714 21st Street, Santa Monica, CA. Crossroads is located near the 26th Street / Bergamot and 17th Street / SMC stations on the Expo line train.
Some free parking is available near the event, but carpooling, taking public transportation, or ride-sharing is always cooler.
Good teams are made up of lots of different types of people. A good team for this event could be made up of:
Analyst - who can think of interesting solutions to the problems we are focused on.
Storytellers - who can craft a video showcasing their team and their product.
Designers - who can make beautiful, usable, and elegant things.
Engineers - who can code a simple prototype for their team.
If you don't know much about a certain topic, don’t worry! Learning is a big part of this experience. We will have workshops on subjects that will help you figure out a problem to solve and to develop skills, and mentors will be on hand to guide you along the way.
You are not required to bring anything. Meals and snacks will be provided. We suggest you bring a water bottle and a laptop to submit your prototype!
It’s not about winning - it’s about learning, having fun, and finding a way to make a difference in your community! In addition, three prizes will be awarded to teams chosen by a judging panel based on criteria such as technical difficulty, creativity, and feasibility. Prizes will be awarded to each individual from the winning teams!