How did we organize the De Anza Hackathon?
DA Hacks 3.0: Reaching for the Stars in a Weekend of Innovation
This past weekend, October 25th and 26th, De Anza College hosted DA Hacks 3.0, a highly anticipated hackathon that brought together students brimming with innovation, creativity, and friendly competition. As participants arrived at the Science Center, the air buzzed with excitement and the aroma of free energy drinks. Teams quickly formed, ideas ignited, and the clatter of keyboards signaled the start of an intense hacking marathon.
With an impressive $7,500 in prizes on the line, the stakes were higher than ever. Guided by the theme of space exploration, each team reached for the stars — both literally and figuratively. Projects ranged from robotic Mars rovers to smart telescopes, showcasing a remarkable blend of technical skill and imaginative thinking.
For those unfamiliar, a hackathon is like a creative marathon for tech enthusiasts. DA Hacks is especially welcoming to first-timers and returning hackers alike, offering inspiring guest speakers, helpful workshops, skilled mentors, fun games, and cool swag. It’s a place where you can dive into coding, collaborate with others, and bring your innovative ideas to life over a short period.
This year’s DA Hacks was particularly special for me. Having participated in over 20 hackathons, I decided to take on the challenge of organizing one. DA Hacks 3.0 was a significant improvement over our previous spring event, DA Hacks 2.5. Back then, we faced several organizational hurdles — missteps in preparation led to issues like misspelled project names during the closing ceremony, and logistical challenges in supporting hardware hacks due to a lack of supplies.
Learning from past experiences, we stepped up our game this time. We were thrilled to receive over 300 sign-ups and saw 39 projects submitted, even though we only had five prizes to award. Our judges, knowledgeable professors from various departments, meticulously evaluated the technical complexity of each project.
Checkout our devpost: https://dahacks3.devpost.com/
One of the highlights was the overwhelming support we received from the Computer Science and Business Division Dean, for which we are truly grateful. The initial venue filled up quickly, and we had to secure additional space to accommodate everyone. We even handed out smart badges equipped with NFC technology, allowing participants to access our hacker’s guide or website with a simple scan.
I had the pleasure of assisting several teams, helping them design Flask apps, Node.js servers, React.js projects, and React Native apps. I also brought my 3D printer, which became a hit among hackers looking to add a tangible element to their projects.
Notable Projects and Experiences
Among the impressive creations were an astronaut health monitoring system and a smart telescope, projects that truly embodied the spirit of space exploration. The enthusiasm and dedication of the participants were inspiring. Making meaningful connections with fellow tech enthusiasts and witnessing their creativity firsthand was incredibly rewarding.
A hackathon is an event where programmers, designers, and other tech enthusiasts come together to collaborate on projects intensively over a short period, usually a couple of days. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills, meet like-minded individuals, and push the boundaries of innovation.
By the way, our hackathon website and resources are all open source, feel free clone our website with GPLv3 license
Our GitHub: https://github.com/da-hacks/da-hacks.github.io
If you’re considering joining a hackathon, DA Hacks is a fantastic place to start. It’s absolutely free to attend, and we believe in making tech innovation accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a coding prodigy or just dipping your toes into the world of hacking, there are workshops and mentors ready to help you learn, create, and have a blast.
Keep updated through discord: https://discord.gg/szmhcWrWKT
Organizing DA Hacks 3.0 was challenging but also one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had. It’s amazing to feel like you’re contributing something awesome and useful to the community. I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Keep an eye out for future events, and don’t hesitate to jump in. Who knows? You might just find yourself reaching for the stars too. one!
Keep an eye out for future events, and don’t hesitate to jump in. Who knows? You might just find yourself reaching for the stars too.
