Hackathon Organizer (In-School)
Host a 12-hour coding competition in your cafeteria
Why It Matters
Hosting a hackathon is 10x more impressive than just attending one. Shows initiative, logistics, tech literacy, and sponsorship acquisition.
How to Start
Gather a team, ask the principal for cafeteria use on a weekend, and email local tech companies or universities for $500 in prize sponsorships.
Commitment
- High commitment: several hours a week, often with evenings, weekends or travel.
- Best starting grade: G11
- G11.
Programs It Supports
- Computer Science
- Software Engineering
- Business
Majors it supports
- Computer Science – high 80s to high 90s depending on school
- Software Engineering – high 90s at Waterloo; high 80s to low 90s elsewhere
Similar extracurriculars
- Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) – Waterloo's premier programming contest
- Hackathon Participation – Build real projects under pressure in 24-48 hours
- Coding / Computer Science Club – Learn and build together after school
- Build a Real Website or App – Create something people actually use
- Game Development Club – Design and ship video games as a team
- Canada Learning Code – Teach coding to others in your community
- University Youth Tech Programs – University-run summer tech programs for high schoolers
- School IT Help Desk / Tech Squad – Assist teachers and students with tech issues
- School Website / App Developer – Modernize your school's digital presence or create an announcements app