Hackathon for Children

August 27-29, 2021

FutureHacks II 2021 is the 3rd TTK (TeensTeachKids) free virtual coding event for children from 7 to 15 years old, one of the only hackathons specifically for elementary and middle school students. Participants will create projects using Scratch, Python and Java with AI under a time limit, and present to a panel of judges. This is the perfect place for children to develop a passion for computer science and showcase their skills.

Theme

Technology has become more integrated into teaching in the past year. With the pandemic over, there is no doubt that the use of technology in education is here to stay. We invite you to create a project or game that explores the use of technology in schools going forward.

Rules

Students 7 to 15 years old are all welcome
Signup is opening now until 8/27. Participation is always welcome, but you will not be considered for a prize if you sign up after the deadline
The competition will be held this weekend (8/27 - 8/29)
Projects must be submitted by 11am on Sunday to be considered for prizes. Unless there are technical difficulties, there will be no exceptions
All projects must use Scratch, Python, Python + AI, or Java
Students can work individually or work together in a group (up to 4 people)
Preliminary judging will include presenting to a panel of junior judges
The top projects that are selected will present in front of the final judges

Live coding sessions

Mini lessons

1: Scratch

In this workshop, students will be introduced to important blocks and coding logic, such as broadcasting and receiving messages, conditionals, loops, and variables. Students will create a small project using their newly acquired skills.

2: Scratch + AI

This session will introduce the fundamental artificial intelligence concept of image recognition and combines it with programming. Students will apply their knowledge of scratch to implement image recognition into their program.

3. Scratch: Game Design

This workshop will delve into concepts used to create games using scratch. Participants should have a basic understanding since the course will focus on applying scratch knowledge rather than learning the programming library.

4: Python

Students will be introduced to important Python concepts and coding logic. Python is such an important language because it is so readable and perfect for beginners. Students will create a rock paper scissors bot to demonstrate their newly acquired skills.

5. Python+AI

This workshop will introduce key artificial intelligence concepts and combine them with the participants’ prior knowledge of python. This workshop is advanced and all participants are expected to have a basic understanding of python.

6: Java

In this workshop, students will learn the various mathematical methods in Java. Students will be able to practice their skills through problems and projects.

Awards

Best Overall

Awarded to the top projects

Special Awards

Most Creative
Rising Star
Best Design

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Rewarded to students whose projects are highlighted by judges
Maximum 10 honorable mentions

Prizes will include, but are not limited to, the above prizes. Every member of a winning team will get a prize.

Schedule

3:00 pm ET

Opening Ceremony

Kick-off meeting to introduce the coding challenge
Link to join Meeting ID: 830 019 1280 - Passcode: futurehack

4:00 pm ET

Student Start Workshop

Link to join workshop

7:30pm ET

Parents Information Session

Link to join workshop

11:00am ET Saturday 3/27

Spring talks and mini lessons

TeensTeachKids Talks by Youth Development Program for High school students Link to Sign up
Live hour-long coding sessions will be held every three hours that introduce the basics of Scratch, Scratch+AI, Python, and Java
Links to join live sessions: Spring Talks; Mini-Lesson

6:00 - 8:00pm ET Saturday 3/27

Fun Activites

Join us in Discord server for fun! Come to meet new friends.
https://discord.gg/ctqCZUMsPq

11:00am ET Sunday 3/28

Submit your project

Your project must be submitted by 11am Sunday to be considered for competition. Submit your project at https://futurehacks-2021.devpost.com

1:00 - 3:00pm ET Sunday 3/28

Judging/Presenting

In preliminary round, participant will present to a panel of junior judges. Top projects will be selected to enter the final round.
The finalist will present their project to the final judges.

5:00pm ET Sunday 3/28

Closing Ceremony

Winners will be announced and presented awards.
Link to join Webinar

before 8/27

Sign up for free!

Everyone is welcome! Sign up now to compete for prizes.

All Day

Time to work on your project

10:00 am ET

Scratch Workshop

Link to join workshop

11:00 am ET

Python Workshop

Link to join workshop

1:00 pm ET

Scratch+AI Workshop

Link to join workshop

2:00 pm ET

Scratch+ Game Design Workshop

Link to join workshop

3:00 pm ET

Java Workshop

Link to join workshop

5:00 pm ET

Python+AI Workshop

Link to join workshop

8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET

Open Hours

Participants can get help through feedback and suggestions from our support team

Link to join workshop

until 11:00 am ET

Time to work on your project

11:00 am ET

Submit your projects

Unless technical difficulties occur, no exceptions will be made

11:00 am ET

Public Speaking Workshop

Participants will learn how to craft a good pitch for their upcoming presentation to a panel of judges

12:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET

Judging

5:00 pm ET

Closing Ceremony

10am - 12:30pm ET

Web Design Principles and Best Practices

David Warner

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Location: Hall 1 , Building A, Golden Street, Southafrica

10am - 12:30pm ET

Web Design Principles and Best Practices

David Warner

Consectetur adipisicing elit. Quod distinctio impedit sint accusantium ducimus lites consequuntur innobisl dolores saepe.Proin sit amet turpis lobortis.

Location: Hall 1 , Building A, Golden Street, Southafrica

Judges

Bing Wu

CMU

Google

Caroline Dinh

University of Maryland

Abhinav Ganesh

University of Texas at Austin

Andrea Hayman

Hamilton College

Vinaya Pillai

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Nicholas Wilson

The College of William & Mary

Olivia Sorensen

Smith College

Gustav Baumgart

University of Minnesota

Alex Farrell

University of Vermont

Ivan Khramtchenko

Suffolk University

Saad Anwer

San Jose State University

Zach Youssef

Case Western Reserve University

Shriya Surti

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

James Underwood

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

Li Liu

CMU

Facebook, Software

Judging Rubric

FAQ

How does registration work?

First, fill out the google form. Afterwards, we will send a confirmation email and an invite to our discord server.

What if I don’t know how to code or don’t want to submit a project?

No worries! You can attend the instructional sessions and learn about the different coding languages.

Will there be any events other than the coding competitions?

We will be holding instructional sessions on programming and non-programming topics that participants can attend. Additionally, there will be fun activities from 6 pm to 8 pm on Saturday

How will my code be judged?

Projects will be judged for presentation skills, coding techniques, and how well the project fits the theme

What are the themes of the projects?

The theme is ‘tech in education.’ Participants will create projects that explores the use of technology in schools going forward

Can I work with other people?

Yes! Participants can work in groups from 1 to 4 people

What are the prizes?

Prizes include but are not limited to Drone, Gaming mouse, Arduino kit and Gaming headphones

Is the event free?

Yes! Anyone between the age of 7 and 15 can attend this event

Support Us!

Please consider donating to support our STEM for All Initiatives

AiGoLearning takes initiatives to make STEM more accessible for underrepresented groups, girls, and senior citizens. Your donation of any amount would be a big help for us!

WHY FUTUREHACKS （As a student）

Pursue Your Passion

Hackathons are the perfect place for students to discover and develop a passion for computer science. They give students an opportunity to learn new skills and make new friends.

Win Cool Prizes

Participants can win awards for using their creativity and problem solving skills! The range of awards that will be given is listed above and registering is free, so it’s a win-win situation.

Meet New Friends

Hackathons are great places to meet people who have similar interests as you and to have interesting conversations about such computer science related topics. Participants will be able to meet and work with others who share their passions and interests!

WHY FUTUREHACKS （As parents）

Create Lasting Memories

Participants will be able to get suggestions during the event to improve their project and presentation. They will present their projects to a panel of judges consisting of students from top universities. Additionally, they will have access to detailed paragraph feedback on their project after the event.

Special Opportunities

Usually hackathons are for high schoolers, but not FutureHacks! FutureHacks is one of the few coding competitions offered to middle and upper elementary school students. It is a great learning opportunity!

Receive Constructive Feedback

Participants will be able to present their projects to a panel of judges consisting of experts in the computer science field and students from top universiities. They will receive quality feedback from people who have experience in this field!

click to view futurehacks guide for parents