Brocha Katz
Contributing Writer
From Oct. 25 through Oct. 26, Broward College held their 5th annual hackathon. The Hackathon is a team coding contest designed to challenge students to collaborate, build and present in less than 24 hours, according to BC’s website.
Everyone is welcomed to join no matter what their major is or even if they don’t have any prior experience with coding.
To participate, students needed to sign up and the hosts would match them with a team or they can come with one that they made beforehand.
A team consists of five to six members. Each team was given a spot in the computer science building at Central Campus. This location was a place where they could come up with their idea and execute it. The teams had a period of 24 hours to complete the app they would make.
Twenty-four hours appears like a short yet long time in the sense of exhaustion kicking in and lack of motivation that could progress throughout the night.
However, the teams at the BC hackathon did not need to worry. During the duration of the experience, the teams were given snacks and tickets that were used for drawings.
The excitement stayed during the night with pizza and donuts served at 11 p.m..
They served vegetarian options as well. There was a candy table filled with all sorts of treats. In the morning they had breakfast just before their team presentation.
Another activity that was set in the program were the workshops that were throughout the 24 hours.
These workshops were meant to act as a guide through the program and help with communication skills and leadership skills.
One person on each team had to attend a workshop which ensured that every team had a chance to listen and work on their app.
The lists of workshops were as follows: agile ceremonies for project management, designing presentation, OBS for demo recording and presentation practice/feedback.
The students each wore their BC Hackathon t-shirt with similar stickers placed on their laptops and a tired smile on their face. Each team had a plan, a goal and winning wasn’t the only factor that played in their mind.
“I do not regret going at all. I’ve gained a closer bond to people I didn’t even know and made new friends. People I’ve brought along had no coding experience yet they enjoyed themselves, which made me happy,” said Danielle Alvarez, Science Club President.
“Even though I wasn’t one of the winning teams, I felt I’ve gained a valuable experience and opportunity to speak in front of people in the technology world. 2019 BC Hackathon will have a special place in my heart.”
Winners were chosen based on best overall, crowd favorite, most innovative idea, best presentation, mixed reality and code for a cause. They received cash prizes that were split among the groups.
The hackathon will return next year.
katzb17@mail.broward.edu