Second Hackathon Event to take Place,October 1 as Part of HUBweek

The Girl Hackathon, a program founded by Beacon Hill residents to spark a lifelong interest for girls in technology, is hosting its second program at MassChallenge as part of HUBweek on October 1, 2016.  Limited spaces to this free program are still available at https://hubweek.org/events/girl-hackathon/.

The Girl Hackathon is a two-hour program that empowers upper elementary/middle school girls to experience the creativity and excitement that occurs when the power of coding is unleashed. Designed to teach the basic concepts of coding through Hopscotch, a creative coding platform for the iPad and the iPhone, the Girl Hackathon pairs mentors with teams of two girls to provide a hands-on experience into the world of coding, ultimately sparking a lifelong interest in the possibilities of technology.

The first Girl Hackathon was held in Boston Public Schools Bolling Building on May 1, 2016.  Forty-six girls representing both urban and suburban communities and at least 16 independent private and public schools spent the afternoon coding together.

Jill Hauff, Anderson Street Resident and Attorney at Looney Cohen & Aisenberg LLP, who is one of the founders of The Girl Hackathon, notes that “there was an amazing amount of excitement and energy at that first program.  Given the opportunity to work in teams of two, the girls collaborated to create some terrific games using Hopscotch.”

The collaboration with HUBweek, a creative festival that celebrates innovation at the intersection of art, science, and technology, is a logical fit for the next Girl Hackathon. Founded by The Boston Globe, Harvard University, MIT and Mass General Hospital, HUBweek is a first-of-its-kind civic collaboration that brings together the most creative and inventive minds making an impact in Boston and around the world.

Hosting the program at MassChallenge, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting a creative and inspired society in which everyone recognizes that they can define their future, and is empowered to maximize their impact created a wonderful opportunity to collaborate.

Shayne Gilbert, Sentry Hill Place Resident and another founder of the Girl Hackathon who is also the founder of Campseekers, drew upon her experience in both technology and as a parent to jumpstart The Girl Hackathon.  “When we look back upon our grade school years, there is probably a handful of experiences that really help shape our interests. The goal of the Girl Hackathon is to create one of those memorable experiences that encourages girls to forge their own paths in the world of technology and science.”

The October 1st Hackathon is made possible through the support of Becker College [http://www.becker.edu/], Hopscotch [https://www.gethopscotch.com/], the Nantucket Conference [http://nantucketconference.com/], New Dimensions in Technology [http://www.ndt.com] and WinterWyman [https://www.winterwyman.com].  Boston Public Schools and the Boston Mayor’s office have generously provided their on-going support of the mission to spark girls’ interest in technology.

For more information, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, see www.girlhackathon.com

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