HocoHacks is Howard County's high school hackathon, where students from various middle and high schools across the county will get the opportunity to collaborate on coding projects and compete for prizes. Whether you want to learn to code, or to flex your coding abilities, HocoHacks brings together coders of all different skill sets to collectively promote the knowledge of code. Additionally, this year we will have two divisions a middle school and high school division. Middle schoolers can compete in the high school division at their own discretion. If one member on the team is in high school, then that team must compete in the high school division. The theme of the hackathon will be revealed day of, but you can always start brainstorming ideas!
Adam is a senior at Centennial High School. He participates in a variety of Mock Trial, business, and computer science clubs and organizations. He also plays percussion in a number of school bands. In his free time, he enjoys computer science, food, and music.
Sakshi is a senior at Centennial High School where she is actively involved in her schools’s clubs and honor societies including President of Girls Who Code, Director of Technology in girlSTEMpowerment, Tutoring Chair of Science National Honor Society, and Member at Large of National Honor Society. She also loves to dance and is part of her school’s dance team and president of the indian dance club. In her free time, she teaches and learns karate, and enjoys being with her friends.
Keshav is a senior at Centennial High School, where he is part of the school's tennis team, computer science club, robotics club, and multiple honor societies. Outside of school, he is a part of APL’s ASPIRE program, a tutor for Teens Give, and is the co-founder of a volunteer organization called WebPoint. In his free time, Keshav competes at hackathons, plays basketball, and listens to music.
Aditya is a senior at Centennial High School, where he is part of the school's soccer team, President of Speech & Debate and FBLA (future business leaders of America), Vice President of National Math Honor Society, a member of Red Cross, and National Honor Society. Outside of school, he is a programming volunteer at FoodonThe15th, a developer creating a chrome extension, and an aspiring card magician. In his free time, Aditya competes at hackathons, plays the game Among Us, and occasionally takes a leisurely jog through his neighborhood.
Annabel is a junior at Centennial High School, where she is on the school dance team, co-president of Girl Up, a member of Class Board, Best Buddies, and Young Democrats, and a part of multiple honor societies. She also serves as Howard County’s representative to the Maryland SMOB Advisory Council. Outside of school, she is the Chief Operating Officer of a STEM-based nonprofit called Girls Click, a tutor for Global Guru, and part of the Maryland High School Democrats Expansion Committee. In her free time, Annabel enjoys listening to music and working at a local pizzeria.
A Hackathon is an event that brings novice and experienced coders together in order to create innovative projects involving code.
No, you don't! Even if you aren't able to code beforehand, you can attend workshops to learn some code, and still submit a project.
HocoHacks is open to all middle and high school students. However, anyone is welcome to drop by and see what participants are working on.
No problem! Many participants arrive without a team, and you can meet and work with new people. You can also choose to work alone. The limit is 4 people per team.
The topic will be revealed on the day of the hackathon (so as to avoid cheating). For your hack, possibilities are websites, mobile or desktop apps, or even hardware projects.
HocoHacks is free for all participants! You can visit excitign workshopws and have the opportuntiy to get swag (free stuff)!
You will probably need a laptop!
Anyone caught working on past projects will be forced to sit in the corner and wear the dunce hat. Don't give yourself an unfair advantage over your fellow competitors.
Due to the virtual format, hardware unfortunately won't be provided.
The judges are looking for original, innovative, and well-functioning projects. Bonus points for a project with real-world application!
All normal Howard County school rules apply.
Feel free to contact us at hocohacks1@gmail.com!
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | Opening Ceremony |
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Introduction Workshops (Java, Python, and Web Development) |
| 11:15 AM- 12:00 PM | Typer Racer Tournament! |
| 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Jessica Goodard on ASPIRE, Internships, Resume-Building, and More! |
| 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Krunker.io Tournament! |
| 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM | Devpost Walkthrough! |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Career paths and skills in software engineering with QA Engineer Brian Wu from UChicago. |
| 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Guiding the College Application process as a Computer Science major |
| 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Mathematical Muffin Morsels: Nobody wants a small piece. Presented by Dr. William Gasarch from the University of Maryland College Park. |
| 8:00 PM | Devpost Submissions due |
| 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Judges ask questions with video submissions |
| 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM | Compile Results |
| 9:00 PM - 9:30 PM | Closing Ceremonies and Winners! |
