TechTogether PreHacks: A fun-filled crash course to get YOU ready for your next hackathon
Hackathons and coding can seem daunting as a young beginner on the outside, looking in. If you ever wanted to experience a hackathon but wanted to get your feet wet first, TechTogether PreHacks is a great program to help high schoolers conquer those fears and ace their next hackathon. Check out the in-depth review of TechTogether PreHacks below from a past participant. Know of a high schooler interested in STEM? Learn more and sign up for PreHacks here.
There is a common misconception that all coders are made from the same mold and must meet specific criteria to be considered a “coder.” While the community does share many awesome characteristics, this statement is false because coders can come in many forms! Like any other title, coders can vary in gender, racial identity, sexual orientation, experience, and interests!
Unfortunately, this media-given ideology of what a coder should be like can prevent many individuals from participating in computer science-related activities. Even as someone who has dabbled in different coding languages and projects, I can admit that sometimes these events can be intimidating! However, TechTogether’s Boston PreHacks has completely changed the way I think about hackathons now. TechTogether has given me confidence through its community-based platform and has taught me that anyone can attend these informative AND sociable events!
Leading up to the big day
Having heard about the event through one of the many friendly coordinators at TechTogether, this action-packed one-day learn-a-thon completely exceeded my expectations! TechTogether PreHacks is unique because it creates a safe and inclusive space for marginalized genders with varying experience levels! The workshops are suitable for high schoolers who want to get into computer science but don’t know where to start.
Through an organized process before the actual date, TechTogether provided its participants with a Starter Kit with all the information we might need (perfect for those who like to look ahead like me!) as well as a neatly planned Discord server. To my surprise, the server was not entirely dedicated to coding! There were channels specifically dedicated to music, pets, art, BIPOC, and LGBTQ folks, just to name a few! It was after seeing these safe spaces that I knew this event was going to be different. I believe that TechTogether enables and educates youth on how to code and focuses on establishing relationships that transcend deeper than any bias surrounding the computer science community.
Workshops Galore!
When the actual day of the event came around, with over 10 planned workshop sessions, the day seemed to fly by. Before the first event, the Discord server was going crazy with participants introducing themselves and sharing pictures of their pets. It was great to get to know some of them on a more personal level, given that due to the nature of virtual events, we often don’t ever get to hear or see one another! Something that I really liked was how the PreHacks Program Manager, Michelle, wrote a response to each participant’s introduction in a personalized way and made them feel really welcomed. This further cemented my impression of TechTogether’s inclusive and supportive environment!
There were many workshops that day, ranging from an Instagram Live with Chapter Director of TechTogether New York, Eryn (who featured her adorable dog!), where we were able to ask her about her hackathon experiences to a Intro to Web Development class with Chapter Coordinator, Kelly! Although I have prior coding experience, I still left each session having learned something new or used it in a new way, demonstrating that PreHacks is an event that anyone can enjoy!
In addition to those informative workshops, exciting team-building games served as a mental break from all of the new skills we were learning! Together we played fun drawing games such as Gartic Phone, which definitely got a lot of laughs!
Another thing to consider about PreHacks is that there were a lot of fun raffles with prizes such as a Steminist sweatshirt for those who followed TechTogether’s social media or a $100 Amazon gift card for those who attended the Boston University session. My favorite raffle by far was the art challenge which involved drawing TechTogether’s mascot, Byte. The prizes were TechTogether themed stickers, so I put in my best effort and maybe got a little too competitive! The incentives were a fun way to take a break from coding and admire everyone’s works of art! These activities once again proved that PreHacks isn’t just about coding but also having fun and getting to know the other participants!
A Decision to Make and a Team to Form
Shortly after the event was over, I was left with a decision to make; would I be attending the upcoming TechTogether Boston Hackathon? With the motivation of my coordinators and such a positive experience earlier, it wasn’t that difficult to make! Of course I signed up for the hackathon, which would be a great way to stay connected with some of the new friends that I made and also learn new skills!
Choosing a team can be challenging, but the coordinator helped simplify things by assigning teams according to our experience level. Being assigned to a specific group was crucial in ensuring that less-experienced hackers could work with more experienced ones to make things more balanced and ensure that no team was at a disadvantage. Through the introductions channel on the discord server, I connected with some of my fellow Canadians. Some happened to be from the same grade and even province as me (although TechTogether is based in the U.S., all marginalized genders are welcome!). Given that this was too much of a coincidence, I reached out to them and asked if they wanted to be a team in the upcoming hackathon! We had only begun to brainstorm our project together, but I think that it is amazing how I would have potentially never met someone so close to me without PreHacks!
Last Words
All in all, TechTogether Boston PreHacks was a very memorable experience that I would recommend to anyone, for the skills that I developed as well as the fun I had networking with like-minded individuals. Although getting into hackathons may be scary at first, TechTogether has created an event that guarantees a smooth transition into a life-long hobby! Working up the courage to say, “Yes, I want to sign up for this!” is the hardest part. However, I want to assure you that this is one event you won’t regret. The wonderful community behind TechTogether will be there to support you the entire way!
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