SVC Hackathon: Environmental Conservation

**Note** This is an in-person event. Those interested in serving as judges or mentors must be able to attend in person and remain for the duration of the event.   Overview The Skagit Valley College 2026 Hackathon is a one-day innovation event focused on finding computer-based solutions that support local environmental conservation and sustainability. Coders and non-coders alike are invited to collaborate, brainstorm, and develop ideas that address real-world challenges affecting our communities and our planet. Participants will work to develop solutions and materials to demonstrate their impact and feasibility. For computer programmers, this can mean writing code for part of a functioning system. For others, this can be designing a concept, performing research, or employing any other skills to further develop and demonstrate the solution. The goal is to turn ideas into meaningful environmental impact. Interdisciplinary collaboration is highly encouraged. Throughout the event, students will work with their teams, receive mentorship, and present their projects to judges. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the nearby Mount Vernon School District Tech Fest, gaining additional exposure to the tech industry and inspiration to further develop their solutions. The event is hosted by the SVC Computer Science Department and the Computing Club, with staff volunteers on-site throughout the day to support participants. The event will run from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 6:00–7:00 p.m. (final end time TBD). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided, along with snacks and refreshments available throughout the day. All are welcome to participate.   What's Included
All registered participants will receive a SWAG bag to kick off the day.

Free meals and refreshments will be provided throughout the event, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as snacks and drinks available all day.
Opportunity to visit the MVSD Tech Fest from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM, offering additional exposure to industry professionals and technology.
  General Information Date: Saturday, May 2nd, 2026Start Time: 8:00 AM, End Time: TBD (Estimated 5-6PM)Location: Skagit Valley College, Lewis Hall**Priority Registration Deadline** April 15th, 2026   Theme Environmental Conservation and SustainabilitySubcategories: To Be Determined (TBD) Projects should focus on protecting natural resources, addressing climate challenges, or promoting sustainable practices. All innovative, theme-aligned ideas are welcome with organizer approval.   Judging Overview While every project should propose a technology-based solution, teams are welcome to build using either code or no-code tools—whichever best aligns with their skills. Projects will be judged on overall idea strength, quality of execution, and real-world feasibility, with separate criteria and winner categories for each track. In evaluating these areas, judges will consider how clearly the project addresses the identified problem, the potential impact of the solution, the practicality of implementing the idea beyond the competition setting, and the degree to which the solution engages or benefits its intended community. Technical depth (where applicable), thoughtful design choices, presentation quality, innovation, and originality may also factor into final evaluations. A detailed scoring rubric is currently in development and will be provided separately prior to final judging.