OpenHub is inviting you to the Digital Rally Youth Hack-a-thon 2026
WHEN: May 18, 2026, noon - 7:00 PM
WHERE: Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie NY
WHO: high-school students, college students, CS / STEAM teachers, industry professionals
- Participants Sign Up (it's free!)
- Mentors and Volunteers Sign Up (judges, mentors,, photographers, reception assistance)
- Sponsors Sign Up (and Sponsorship Deck: https://bit.ly/Sponsor_Digital_Rally )
Disclaimer: Digital Rally Hackathon is the key part of the umbrella Digital Rally event by Mid-Hudson CSTA which includes more activities for high-school students, including college fair, resume assistance and robots dance-off.
2026 THEME: "Using AI to Serve the Community: Digital Champions for Social Good."
We want to explore two subjects of matter:
- efficient and ethical use of AI to collect information and learn fast,
- while addressing specific community needs prototyping the solution for specific societal challenges.
What is Social Good?
Social good is something that provides benefits to the largest number of people in the largest possible way.
Calling all entrepreneurs to join us and pitch specific challenge that our students can address.
Students - you can call your inner entrepreneur if you know the specific challenge you'd like to address! No need to be a coder, it is enough to know what would you like to dig into!
What Are Some Problem Areas We Know Exist?
- Public Transportation
- Economic Development
- Employment/Jobs
- Health & Wellness
- Public Safety
- Domestic Violence
- Cybersecurity
- Education
- Social Services
- Food Insecurity
- Poverty
- Housing & Shelter
- Clean Water / Pollution
- Environment and Climate Change
- Sustainability
- Disaster Relief
- Social Justice
- you name it!
Which one did you observe as a very real one for your community?
Are you passionate about specific topic? It is ok if not, you will get a chance to hear from others and pick yours!
Do you have a team already? It is ok if not, we have a cool process how you can recruit your team!
The Challenge
You are going to pick and pitch the challenge that resonates with you, form the team of 3-5 people, and work on the solution prototype to be presented in a few hours.
Your goal is to create an application that addresses a problem you know about in the community using the resources provided in the Hackathon Toolkit or other resources of your choosing.
Your application and presentation need to meet the following goals:
- Be based on a specific problem statement
- Data driven and/or supported by research (reliable statistical sources)
- Aligned with and relevant to a specific problem in the community (a clear match between problem statement and proposed application solution)
- Provide value to the community, creating a positive impact on social good.
- Demonstration of team effort.
- Effectively communicated to the audience.
The Challenge > The Evidence > The Solution > The Impact > Your Experience and Your Recognition
Make the difference! Join the growing Hudson Valley technology community. We know growth brings change, and change creates challenges. Our region boasts a pioneering vision. We find innovative solutions that meet the challenges faced by all the valley’s communities.
SCHEDULE (In person participation only!)
Monday, May 20th
1:00 - 2:00 PM Opening ceremony - Yulia & Ilene
- Ideation
- Pitching Ideas
- Form Teams
2:00 - 3:30 PM - Research & MVP Development
3:30 - 4:30 PM - Presentation development
4:30 - 5:30 PM - Teams Presentations
5:30 PM - Judges deliberation, Recognition and Awards
6:00 PM - Announce Winners / Next Steps
Who Can Join?
Anyone can sign up for the Hackathon. We welcome all ages and all levels of expertise. We will be creating teams consisting of a diverse range of talents and skills. Volunteers sign-in. High school students shall sign-in with their school teacher through this https://www.hudsonvalleydigitalrally.com/attend
We are looking forward to see professional developers, high school and college students. Non-developers are welcomed too.
We'll encourage you to form mixed teams of professionals and non-professionals, high-tech and low-tech functions and roles.
You can join as a team, form professional teams or pair with the youth to help them building their next big thing!
Participants InformationMentors InformationJudges Information
Communication platform
- Participants Sign Up (it's free!)
- Mentors and Volunteers Sign Up (judges, mentors,, photographers, reception assistance)
- Sponsors Sign Up (and Sponsorship Deck: https://bit.ly/Sponsor_Digital_Rally )
Session Schedule
About previous Hackathons
The inaugural HVTechFest Youth Hackathon 2019
was the first ever regional problem solving festival. Seven hours long it was a full day of collaboration, brainstorming and idea-development competition to solve critical regional issues.
See the short sample recording on YouTube here
HVTechFest Youth Hackathon 2020 - "The Employability challenge!"
It was able to transition fully remote with international attendance. ~150 people attended. The following challenges were addressed:
- Social Distancing and Education
- Employability
- Environment
- Public Transportation
Check HVTechFest 2020 Hackathon YouTube recording here
HVTechFest Youth Hackathon 2021 - "Digital collaboration - Using Open Data for Social Good.”
The challenge: the pandemic has changed the way people conduct their affairs. It’s an evolving, technology-driven, and profound pivot to a "new normal." We want to improve the regions’ resilience and empower users and makers.
We wanted to find how to:
- Connect and engage people seeking to locate information, find local goods and services, and align with the businesses and organizations offering them.
- Support an open data information initiative that utilizes existing county-by-county data and datasets provided by OpenData NY.
- Collaborate by sharing relevant data with consumers and producers to support the local economy.
Our Hackathons revealed how the youth are driven to solve Hudson Valley employability and professional sustainability challenges. We were excited to see that we are all aligned in our dream of making the Hudson Valley a better place to live and work, and leveraging technology as a practical tool for this rising tide! We applied the following approach:
- Integrated hi-tech and low-tech functions to solve public problems.
- Successfully teamed professionals together with youth to deliver digital solutions.
- Created an entrepreneurial spirit through a high-energy vibe.
- Gave young people the chance to experience a collaborative way of problem solving.
Check the Hackathon 2021 recording on YouTube here
Check the whole HVTechFest 2021 playlist on YouTube here
HVTechFest 2022 didn't arrange the Hackathon, but DevFest.
Check the whole playlist on YouTube here
HVTechFest 2023 we held Open Data Mini Hackathon - all virtual, March 10th, 2023
Check it out here: https://hvtechfest.com/2023/mini-March-hackathon description and watch it on YouTube
- Check the 2023 Hackathon recorded on YouTube
- Learn about OpenData driven GDELT project
- Check The Congressional App Challenge students presenting
In 2024 we held our First Digital Rally Hackathon for high-schools, May 20th, 2024 - in partnership with MidHudson CSTA
Sign Up for the Digital Rally Youth Hackathon 2025 NOW!
