GoSHacks Jr.

From August 13-14, 2021, Girls of Steel successfully launched GosHacks Jr.– our first-ever hackathon– reaching 39 registered participants, receiving 20+ official project submissions, hosting 7 student-led workshops and panels with 5 Girls of Steel members as mentors, and distributing $400+ in awards and prizes donated by GitHub and Girls of Steel.  Participants were divided into three divisions: Division I (K-2), Division II (3-5), and Division III (6-8).  A Grand Winner, First Runner-Up, and Second Runner-Up were selected from each division; additionally, the mentors selected a recipient of the Mentor’s Choice Award. 

Girls of Steel Hacks Jr. (GoSHacks Jr.) is a specialized virtual hackathon for students in grades K-8; GoSHacks Jr. aims to extend the opportunity for younger students in elementary and middle school to participate in hackathons, which are conventionally limited to older students.  At GoSHacks Jr., a specific theme or challenge was presented, to which participants were given six hours to innovate, design, and submit a solution consisting of a written proposal, a recorded pitch, and a student photo.   This year’s theme was “Save the Animals!”, where students were tasked with brainstorming and creating a project in Scratch that teaches people about an endangered species.  Watch the highlight reel of our hackers hard at work below!

Throughout the hackathon, various student-led workshops and informational seminars were held to ensure that all students are equipped with fundamental programming, leadership, and problem-solving skills.  Our mentors led events including an “Introduction to Scratch” Workshop, a “What is FIRST” Informational Session, a “Girls in STEM” Q&A Panel, and a Keynote Speaker, Ms. Sarah Withee, Girls of Steel mentor and Software Engineering Consultant at 18F

We were so excited to see our students’ enthusiasm for innovation and creativity! 
“I am having a good time with this project.  I’ve never used Scratch before, so I needed help from my dad and sister.  Now I am going to do this every day, it is so fun!” wrote one student. 
“This was a really amazing experience for me,” reflected a Girls of Steel mentor, “It’s so rewarding seeing the students’ dedication and pride in their own work.”
A HUGE congratulations to our awardees, listed below, and all our amazing participants!
DIVISION I:
Grand Winner – Justice P., grade 1
First Runner-Up – Dimitri J., grade K
Second Runner-Up – Elleanora P., grade 2
DIVISION II:
Grand Winner – Alice T., grade 4
First Runner-Up – Jason Z., grade 5
Second Runner-Up – Evalina P., grade 5
DIVISION III:
Grand Winner – Özge U., grade 7
First Runner-Up – Meera K., grade 7
Second Runner-Up – Ava M., grade 8
MENTOR’S CHOICE AWARD: Rosalie P., grade 5
Check out the awards ceremony slides and view video submissions of the awardees here.
Contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions about us or about the hackathon.

This blog was written by a member of FRC team 3504. If you are interested in blogging for FIRST Ladies, click here to sign up on the schedule!