Windy City Hacks
High schoolers: learn to code in 24 hours of free food, prizes, & fun.
June 20–21, 2020 in Chicago (Venue TBA)
A city of incredible potential faces a crisis of opportunity.We the students, in order to welcome our peers into the wonderful world of technology, are organizing Windy City Hacks.
Welcome to the “hackathon.”
Windy City Hacks is a 24-hour event where 200 programmers, artists, designers, & other high schoolers from across the Midwest will come to together to build apps & games. We’ll provide workshops, mentorship, free meals & drinks, and places to sleep. The next morning, judges will pick the best projects to demo and win prizes.
Building on years of building opportunity.
We ran the inaugural Windy City Hacks in June 2019, but our team has organized a combined 12+ events, including MAHacks, Hack Pennsylvania, and helped run Hack Chicago, Hack the Fog, & more, reaching 1,000+ students.
See last year’s Windy City Hacks
A place for everyone.
Underrepresented students are systematically discouraged from pursuing tech. Windy City Hacks provides a supportive community for women, minorities, & LGBTQ+ students, and gives them the resources to make amazing things. No matter who you are, you’re welcome here—and you’ll surprise yourself by what you can accomplish. 💙
FAQ
How much does it cost?
Nothing! Registration and attendance are 100% free, with meals, drinks, swag, & workshops included.
Who can participate?
Any current student grades 8–12. If you’re under/over that age, send us a chat message (in the bottom right corner) & we’ll see what we can do.
Hacking‽ Is that safe?
Hold up! No, we’re not “hacking” servers or databases. The word is being constructively re-defined as building things—apps, games, websites, etc. At Windy City Hacks, it’s all safe, supervised, & entirely educational.
What can I make?
Anything! A website, app, game, hardware hack, you name it. Judges will rate projects on creativity, technical skill demonstrated, polish, and utility.
What if I’m new to coding?
At Windy City Hacks, complete beginners are not only welcome, but expected! Learn as you go with our intro workshops & mentors.
What if I can already code?
Windy City Hacks is for you, too! We welcome (and have prizes for) absolute beginners, experts, & everyone in between.
Do I need a team?
Nope! You’ll have an opportunity to meet fellow hackers and make teams of up to 5—find some new friends, bring yours, or work alone.
What should I bring?
Plan to bring a student ID, computer (any kind), chargers, anything for your hack (e.g. hardware), toiletries, & a sleeping bag (if you plan on sleeping).
Where will I sleep?
We will provide quiet places to sleep at the event, and turn lights off after the midnight snack. We’ll make sure you’re able to get some sleep if you need it!
Who runs this? Is it supervised?
We’re independently-organized by high schoolers, sponsored via an international nonprofit called Hack Club. It’s fully supervised by 20+ adult mentors & chaperones.
Schedule
Sat, June 20
- 10:30am👋 Doors Open/Check-In
- 12:00pm📢 Opening Ceremony
- 12:30pm👩💻 Hacking Begins
- 12:30pm👥 Team Formation (optional)
- 1:00pm🧙 Workshop: Your First Website
- 2:30pm👾 Workshop: Intro to Game Dev
- 4:00pm🎹 Workshop: Web Synthesizer Music
- 6:30pm🍽️ Dinner
- 8:00pm🤖 Workshop: AI Robots
Sun, June 21
- 12:00am🍦 Midnight Snack
- 2:00am💃 DANCE PARTY!
- 3:30am👾 Game Break
- 7:00am🍳 Breakfast
- 8:30am⌛ Hacking Ends
- 9:00am📝 Project Submission
- 9:10am💬 Judging
- 11:40am📢 Closing Ceremony
- 12:00pm😭 Event Ends
Sponsors
Want to sponsor Windy City Hacks & help hundreds of students experience the magic of code? Let’s chat
