DFW students compete to solve challenges in areas of education, environment and healthcare, using computing skills, critical thinking to boost confidence.
iCode4Kids, a nonprofit committed to providing children with opportunities in computing and STEAM education, announced that the second annual iCodeHack hackathon will take place on April 1, 2017, at the SMU-in-Plano campus, 5236 Tennyson Parkway, Plano.
iCodeHack is the first hackathon in DFW designed exclusively for students ages elementary school through high school. A hackathon is defined as an event in which a large group of people meet to engage in collaborative computer programming.
iCodeHack 2017 presents a set of specific, age-based challenges using this year’s theme of Reimagine! Education Environment and Healthcare. Students work collectively to solve problems in a fun and competitive computing environment. The hackathon enables a safe setting for an open exchange of ideas, while helping students gain confidence through computing, critical thinking and presentation skills. Challenge examples from last year’s iCodeHack ranged from designing a computer-based baseball or soccer game to ideas for combating cyberbullying.
“Events such as the iCodeHack help us move past ‘old-school’ teaching methods toward the next generation of tech,” said Abid Abedi, co-founder and chairman of iCode Inc. “By helping students of all ages and backgrounds create technology we’re not only teaching them computing and robotic skills, but also helping them to think critically, solve problems logically and imagine endless possibilities.”
iCodeHack participants will compete in age-based teams (elementary, middle school and high school). This year’s set of challenges will be revealed on the day of the hackathon. Once the challenges are completed, each team will present its solutions to technology experts, who will judge the projects and name the top three winners in the three age categories.
The event also features a series of sessions focused on the latest business and technology trends, led by industry, civic and educational leaders from the DFW area. These sessions are open to the parents and guardians of the participants. This year’s speakers include: Mayor Harry LaRosiliere, Plano; Dr. David Vinson, superintendent of Wylie ISD; Dr. Suku Nair, SMU; Neelu Sethi, CEO, ReddyICE; Lauren Hasson, engineering leader, speaker and writer; Abid Abedi, CEO, iCode; and Dr. Gopal Gupta, department head, Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Dallas.
Students from third through twelfth grades can register for iCodeHack 2017. Participants are welcome to form their own teams or they can join a team on site. The entry fee is $20 per person, and the online registration deadline is March 25, 2017. The fee includes breakfast, lunch, drinks and snacks for the student participants. To register and learn more, visit http://icode4kids.org.
About iCode4Kids iCode4Kids is a non-profit organization in the state of Texas, committed to providing children with opportunities to make a difference in the world through an enriching and immersive foundation in computing and STEAM education. iCode4Kids is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States of America. To learn more visit http://www.icode4kids.org. #iCodeHack
