Dr. Lauren Lek and Ainsley Savant talked about what the hackathon is, who can participate and how it will help engage kids. Saturday, September 10, 2022 8:00 am - 4:30 pm OLP Campus For Girls (grades 8-12) interested in collaboration and finding solutions for modern problems What is a Hackathon Exactly? A Hackathon is a meeting of the minds to challenge current notions, problem solve, create, and collaborate. OLP’s Engineering Projects in Community Service club (EPICS), the hosts of the annual Hackathon, focuses on how STEM can solve global issues using science, technology, engineering, and math. This year’s theme is Life on Mars. This is a friendly competition and the teams will be presenting their solutions to a panel of judges. Teams in first, second, and third place will receive prizes. What Makes This Opportunity So Great? There's a lot to look forward to at this hackathon. Not only will you gain insight in various areas of STEM, business, and world affairs, but you will also be able to hone your critical thinking and communication skills, and will form new friendships with girls working towards the same goal as you! The items listed below are just some examples of how this experience will see you grow intellectually, creatively, and collaboratively. · You can practice important skills such as researching, analyzing data, and communicating within a group of workers. · You will be able to identify specific problems in the world and formulate systematic and realistic solutions to them. · You will be able to present your solution before a panel of experts and can use their insights and constructive feedback to widen your own scope of understanding. · You will be able to connect and work with other young women who come from diverse backgrounds and interests · Not only will you learn more about the world, but you can also spread what you've learned outside of the hackathon so as to better educate people and bring awareness to issues, if not direct action!