Registration is now open for the Seventh Annual H2O Hackathon, a community-supported event that taps into the technological, multimedia, and problem-solving skills of local students to help find solutions to the state's water issues. Teams compete for thousands of dollars in cash prizes, including the CalWater Golden Spigot grand prize. A panel of water experts and community leaders will judge contestant entries. The competition receives support from business, regional water districts, and educational institutions.
This year's challenge calls on students to “Hack the Flood," targeting an issue that periodically causes damaging impacts across San Joaquin County. The heavy storms of early 2023 caused localized flooding, downed powerlines, raised water tables that flowed into basements, and stressed the levee system protecting the county from catastrophic floods.
The H2O Hackathon is open to high school and college students competing in two separate divisions in a daylong competition on May 4, 2024, at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). Individuals and teams may register now at www.h2ohackathon.org/.
Students in both divisions may compete in either the app-building contest or the multimedia competition.
Coders in the app-building contest will use the Code.org App Lab or any other coding platform to solve the challenge outlined on the day of the event. In the multimedia challenge, students will develop a strategy to market the winning app or raise awareness to the challenge presented using at least two forms of media, such as videos, podcasts, graphic design, and social media to create an engaging messaging campaign.
Students will not learn the exact challenge until the morning of the Hackathon and have five hours to complete their projects to meet the challenge.
Competitors have an opportunity to build new skills while applying what they have learned in class to real-world issues facing their communities.
No coding experience is necessary to participate in the app competition. The website offers a toolkit that shows how to use the coding platform and includes other information for teachers and students competing in both the app-building and multimedia categories.
Competitors may sign up as a team of four students and one coach. Individuals who sign up will be assigned to a team. Teams and individuals must be from San Joaquin County. In the college division, individuals and teams must reside in San Joaquin County or attend San Joaquin Delta College, University of the Pacific, or CodeStack Academy.
The H2O Hackathon is a community supported event. Information about sponsors can be found on the event website.
The competition is at 8 a.m. on May 4, at the SJCOE Wentworth Education Center, 2707 Transworld Drive, Stockton. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony following the competition. The ceremony will be open to the public.