Dates

Hackathon Day: October 14

8:00 AM: Submissions open.

8:00 PM: Submission deadline.

8:00-10:00 PM: Judging period.

10:00 PM: Winners announced.

All times are in PDT.

Eligibility

Participants must be currently enrolled in high school or an equivalent secondary education program.

Projects may be completed individually or in teams of 2-4 people. All team members must meet the eligibility requirements.

Project and Submission Requirements

  • Build something original. Your submission should demonstrate your own ideas, decisions, and contributions.
  • AI tools are encouraged. You may use AI coding assistants, generative models, APIs, open-source models, and other AI tools.
  • Be transparent about AI use. Briefly explain which AI tools you used and how they contributed to your project.
  • Show your work. Your demo should clearly demonstrate your project or prototype. Mockups and conceptual projects are welcome when appropriate, but clearly distinguish proposed functionality from functionality that actually works.
  • Provide accessible links. Ensure judges can access your project overview, repository, and demo video without requesting permission.
  • Respect licenses and privacy. Follow applicable tool and dataset licenses, obtain permission to use other people's work, and do not expose private information, credentials, or API keys.
  • Use responsible AI practices. Explain important limitations and take reasonable steps to avoid harmful or misleading outputs.
  • Submit on time. All required materials must be submitted by 8:00 PM on October 14.

Prizes

Winners will receive Amazon gift cards in USD.

  • 1st Place: $1000
  • 2nd Place: $500
  • 3rd Place: $250

Total prize pool: $1750

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

1. Creativity and Originality: 25%. Does the project present an interesting, original idea or approach? Does it explore a possibility that others might overlook?

2. Human + AI Collaboration: 25%. How thoughtfully does the project combine human input with AI capabilities? Does it demonstrate a meaningful role for each, rather than using AI as an afterthought?

3. Execution and Technical Achievement: 20%. How well does the project work relative to its goals and scope? Does the team demonstrate effective problem-solving, experimentation, and implementation?

4. Impact and Usefulness: 15%. Does the project address a meaningful problem, serve a clear purpose, or create a compelling experience for its intended audience?

5. Demo and Communication: 15%. How effectively does the submission explain and demonstrate the project? Can judges understand what was built, why it matters, and how it works?