Join the City’s first-ever Hackathon for youth – youth innovate, we listen
Join Campbell River’s first-ever youth hackathon and team up to put great ideas into action – and possibly win a prize.
The City of Campbell River’s Youth Action Committee (YAC) is putting out a call to action: they’re asking peers to share their vision for Campbell River’s youth, and inviting them to leave a legacy for the future of our community.
On May 2 and 3, students in grades 9 to 12 will gather at the Sportsplex for a hackathon.
“A hackathon is competition where people with different skills team up to solve a particular problem. It’s also a platform to explore, and envision and a great way to generate solutions in a supportive environment,” says Nina Baksh, the City’s geographic information systems coordinator.
Over the two days, students will work together in teams of four with the support of mentors and trainers, who will host workshops and facilitate development of each team’s idea.
There’s no charge to participate, and a panel of judges will award prizes for first, second and third place. The winning team will present their solution to City Council in June.
“The Youth Action Committee was formed to give youth a voice in the community,” explains Michelle Sewell, a current YAC member and student at Timberline High School. “However, this is not something we can do alone. Hackathon 2019 is intended to unite the voices of youth through collaborative and creative thinking.”
Paige Pierce, a Carihi student and current YAC member, adds that “a survey distributed by YAC revealed that the majority of youth felt that there was a lack of things to do in the community. Now is the time to bring forward your ideas that will create the change of tomorrow.”
“We’re so excited to be part of the City’s first-ever Hackathon as mentors,” says Alison Bell of Boleyn Media Group. “It’s a great opportunity for students to see how their creativity translates into the real world, and we love that the City is supporting high school students in such a fun and engaging way!”
“You don’t need to know how to code. You just need ideas on how to change the City. You’ll also learn to develop skills such as presenting, writing, program design, team building, programming and problem-solving,” adds Anna Bissonette, Timberline student and YAC chair. “And of course there will be food provided.”
The Youth Hackathon is hosted in partnership with the City’s Youth Action Committee, Information Technology Department and Economic Development’s Modern Entrepreneur series.
The City welcomes sponsors’ support for this event and extends thanks to:
· Gold sponsors: SuavAir, the Kammersgard Family Trust, Creative Industries Council, Izco Technology Solutions
· In-kind sponsors: Boleyn Media Group, Thrifty Foods and Riipen.
Visit campbellriverhackathon.eventbrite.ca to register now, as space is limited.
For more information, view the video at http://youtube.com/CityofCampbellRiver, or contact:
· Jen Furst at 250-286-5304, jennifer.furst@campbellriver.ca
· Laura Walker at 250-286-5727, laura.walker@campbellriver.ca
