Hackathon
Mon, May 20, 2024

12 teams competed. See all winners below!

Attendance: 87 students, 9 schools, 15 mentors, 12 colleges, 21 volunteers, 7 CS teachers. 

 

OpenHub is inviting you to the Digital Rally Youth Hack-a-thon 2024 

WHEN: May 20, 2024, noon - 7:00 PM 

WHERE: Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie NY

Volunteers can REGISTER HERE

2024 THEME: "Changing the Community: Digital Champions for Social Good."

We want to explore “Changing the Community: Digital Champions for Social Good.”

What is Social Good?

Social good is something that provides benefits to the largest number of people in the largest possible way. 

 

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:

  1. Be based on a specific problem statement
  2. Data driven and/or supported by research (reliable statistical sources)
  3. Aligned with and relevant to a specific problem in the community (a clear match between problem statement and proposed application solution)
  4. Provide value to the community, creating a positive impact on social good.
  5. Demonstration of team effort.
  6. 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. 

 

 

Pitching at the Hudson Valley Tech Fest HackathonRecruiting at the HVTechFest HackathonHackathon at the Hudson Valley Technology Festival - Pitching

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 

  •  

 

Hackathon - Technology Dojo - PitchingHVTechFest Hackathon - PitchingTechnology Festival - Hackathon - Pitching

 

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

 

Hudson Valley Tech Fest - Hackathon - Design ThinkingDesign Thinking - Hudson Valley Technology Festival and HackathonTech Fest Hackathon- Pollution and Contamination Team

Communication platform

We will be using Slack channel to communicate with each other:

  • Hacker rooms
  • Mentor rooms
  • Help desk

Join us at Slack, find your team!

Still have questions? Check FAQ here

 

 ***********

UPDATE:

1st prize:   Safe Haven - team of 8 students, JJHS. Mentored by Stephen Green.
  1. Austin Hicks JJHS    
  2. Matthew Glasser JJHS    
  3. Kyle Kershaw JJHS    
  4. Joe Marra JJHS    
  5. Hiro Sakuma JJHS    
  6. Anish Anne JJHS    
  7. Nash Pillai JJHS    
  8. Joseph Lopez JJHS
 

2nd prize: Phishing Prevention - team of 7 students, FDR, JJ, Roy C. Ketcham schools. Mentored by Jon Gaines

  1. Giovanni Lazala, Roy C. Ketcham    
  2. Nathan Romej, FDR HS    
  3. Gabe Peni, FDR HS
  4. Max Goldstein, FDR HS
  5. Sam Goldstein, FDR HS    
  6. Julian Aragon, John Jay    
  7. Christopher Snyder (RCK)
 

2nd prize: NourishLink - team of 4 students, mentored by Casey Conlin

  1. Henry Goings-Perrot NFA
  2. Jimmie Kimbrough NFA
  3. Roman D'Alfonso NFA
  4. Isabella Caipa NFA
 
 
3rd prize - Learn Anywhere - team of 11, mentored by Carla Spensieri and John Baker
  1. Rose Marie, FDR HS
  2. Lyanna, FDR HS
  3. Joanna, FDR HS
  4. Viv, NFA Main
  5. Chrystiella, NFA Main
  6. Ryan, NFA Main
  7. Hunter, NFA Main
  8. Lucas, NFA Main
  9. Lilliana, NFA Main
  10. Olivia, NFA Main
  11. Kristy, RCK
 
3rd prize - Small Step Streak team, mentored by Tyler Walker
  1. William Hea, Newburg
  2. Wendy Stewart, Homeschool from Rondout Valley
  3. Valley Phoebe Stewart, Homeschool from Rondout Valley
  4. Caden Peoples, Kingston HS
  5. John Boolukos, Kingston HS

 

3rd prize - First Look - team of 9, mentored by Cornell Green & John McNamara

  1. Brendan Andros, FDR High School
  2. Irelynn Fitzgerald, FDR HS
  3. Jaskaran Kang, FDR HS
  4. Roman Pemberton, FDR HS
  5. Flynn Svenson, FDR HS
  6. Trevor Whittaker, FDR HS
  7. Ace, FDR HS
  8. Sophie Zhang, Roy C. Ketcham High School    
  9. Alex Hart, FDR HS
 
Special prize - Tackling Impenetrable System: Sano team, mentored by Joe Valerie Carrera
  1. Asyra King, FDR HS 
  2. Jocelyn Pearson, FDR HS
  3. Gillena Pelaez , Newburgh Free Academy (NFA)
  4. Jordan Wilkerson, John Jay 
  5.  Ann Quintero, NFA   
 
Special Prize - Best Local Problem: Housing cost team, mentored by Chris Motola
  1. Andrea Discua, NFA Main
  2. Leigh Costura, FDR HS
  3. Lily Hurd, FDR HS
  4. Jimeiris Morales, NFA

 

Special Prize - Tackling a big problem: Fast food team, mentored by Timeo Williams

  1. Julie Ly, NFA
  2. Luke Van De Mark, NFA
  3. Xzavier Suliveres, NFA
  4. Diosmari Rodriguez, NFA
  5. Stacy Nieto, NFA
 
Special prize - Best Monetization: Decision Day team, mentored by Tanya Sorenson
  1. Emma Jarvis, FDR HS
  2. Delaney Jarvis, FDR HS 
  3. Xinlin Wu, FDR HS
  4. Christopher Everett, FDR HS
 
Special prize - Most Team Cohesion:  Central Cent$ team, mentored by Michael
  1. Merlin Oestrich, Monticello   
  2. Sean McAssey, Monticello    
  3. Ben Megna, Monticello    
  4. Joseph Campbell, Monticello    
  5. Atrayu Fisher, FDR HS
  6. Elijah Hakobian, FDR HS

 

Special prize - Best slides: End Game Development team, mentored by Bryce Borer
  1. Danté Armstrong-Santana, FDR HS
  2. Adam Cromwell, FDR HS 
  3. Derek Marr, Roy C Ketcham Senior HS   
  4. Justin Porter, FDR HS   
  5. Nathaniel Mitchell, FDR HS
  6. Ava Garcia, JJ  HS 
  7. Srabon Hoq, Roy C Ketcham HS

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

 

Sign Up for the Digital Rally Youth Hackathon 2024!

Volunteers - please 

REGISTER HERE