FAQ
Is this an overnight event?
No
Who should come to SPARK?
Hackathon applicants must be currently attending high school, but no prior experience is required. We are looking for a diverse set of participants with a broad array of interests, experiences and skills.
How are participants chosen?
The SPARK! team will review the applications and begin notifying those accepted into the hackathon on a rolling basis starting in early January.
Does SPARK cost money?
No. SPARK is free of charge. It includes meals, a SPARK t-shirt and an unforgettable experience.
What do I need to bring?
Bring your laptop if you have one, laptop charger, your signed waiver and a photo ID of yourself.
What if I don’t have a laptop?
We will have a limited supply of laptops available to borrow during the event. Indicate your need to borrow a laptop on your application and we will try to have one available for you at check-in. You will need to turn back in before leaving Saturday night and check out again on Sunday.
Are my parents allowed to come with me?
We are grateful for your parents' support of our program, but after check-in, the Learnathon & Hackathon portions of SPARK are strictly for student participants only. Your parents may attend the Demo Party at 7pm on Sunday.
What is a learnathon?
Saturday will be a day full of hands-on workshops and interactive presentations designed to get your creative juices flowing as you learn about creating tech. We will have lots of mentors on hand to help guide you through your first creation. We will have workshop sessions where you can explore creating mobile apps, websites and hardware devices. We will also have presentations from sponsors who will share real world problems to which they need solutions.
What is a hackathon?
A hackathon is an event where people come together to collaborate on creating tech that solve real-world problems. Saturday evening, you will hear from local companies and organizations about a problem they need help solving. Then you will choose one to work on and form teams. Sunday will be spent "hacking" a solution. At the end of the day, teams will present their projects to the community at a Demo Party!
No
Who should come to SPARK?
Hackathon applicants must be currently attending high school, but no prior experience is required. We are looking for a diverse set of participants with a broad array of interests, experiences and skills.
How are participants chosen?
The SPARK! team will review the applications and begin notifying those accepted into the hackathon on a rolling basis starting in early January.
Does SPARK cost money?
No. SPARK is free of charge. It includes meals, a SPARK t-shirt and an unforgettable experience.
What do I need to bring?
Bring your laptop if you have one, laptop charger, your signed waiver and a photo ID of yourself.
What if I don’t have a laptop?
We will have a limited supply of laptops available to borrow during the event. Indicate your need to borrow a laptop on your application and we will try to have one available for you at check-in. You will need to turn back in before leaving Saturday night and check out again on Sunday.
Are my parents allowed to come with me?
We are grateful for your parents' support of our program, but after check-in, the Learnathon & Hackathon portions of SPARK are strictly for student participants only. Your parents may attend the Demo Party at 7pm on Sunday.
What is a learnathon?
Saturday will be a day full of hands-on workshops and interactive presentations designed to get your creative juices flowing as you learn about creating tech. We will have lots of mentors on hand to help guide you through your first creation. We will have workshop sessions where you can explore creating mobile apps, websites and hardware devices. We will also have presentations from sponsors who will share real world problems to which they need solutions.
What is a hackathon?
A hackathon is an event where people come together to collaborate on creating tech that solve real-world problems. Saturday evening, you will hear from local companies and organizations about a problem they need help solving. Then you will choose one to work on and form teams. Sunday will be spent "hacking" a solution. At the end of the day, teams will present their projects to the community at a Demo Party!
