By: Staff Writer Harshita Gupta
What: Hacking Generation Y
When: 10 AM January 24 – 8 PM January 25 (36 hours)
Where: NestGSV, Redwood City
Size: 350 attendees
Cost: Free
Age Group: Exclusively high school students
Hacking Generation Y is the weekend after finals, and promises dozens of mentors, judges, and guest speakers from companies like Google, Facebook, and Flipboard. Experts in their fields will conduct workshops in topics from wearable technology to web development. Hack Gen Y’s sponsors, including Google, Parse, and Fitbit, will be awarding cash and gadget prizes to successful teams at the event.
What: HS Hacks II
When: 11 AM February 7 – 5 PM February 8 (30 hours)
Where: PayPal, San Jose
Size: 1000 attendees
Cost: Free
Age Group: Exclusively high school students
HS Hacks II is the largest high school-exclusive hackathon till date. At 1000 attendees, it promises a competitive and high-intensity environment most similar to large-scale collegiate hackathons.
What: CodeDay Winter 2015
When: 12 PM February 14 – 12 PM February 15 (24 hours)
Where: TBA
Size: 100 attendees
Cost: $10 Early Bird, $20 regular.
Age Group: High school and college students
Over Valentine’s Day weekend is the small-scale CodeDay Winter 2015, a beginner’s paradise with a far more relaxed and low-key feel than Hack Gen Y or HS Hacks II. CodeDay will have 4-5 workshops and be in a intimate space with a small number of attendees.
Which hackathon is for you?
If you’re somewhat apprehensive and looking to get your feet wet without competition, CodeDay would be a good place to start. Hack Gen Y sets the bar higher, but still promises individualized attention and a not-so-competitive atmosphere. HS Hacks II has a competitive, collegiate feel. It presents a challenge, but is not insurmountable.
Whichever hackathon you decide to go to, each of them will have workshops and mentors with a wide range of experiences. All of these events are well suited to beginners and seasoned coders alike.
