IMPORTANT: This is an in-person event. All students, judges, and mentors must be able to attend in person at Skagit Valley College and remain for the duration of the event.
Deadline Update
Registration is NOW CLOSED. However, we can still accommodate additional participants, as we have not yet reached capacity. If you are able to arrive BEFORE 8:45 AM on Saturday, May 2, you will be allowed to participate as a contestant.
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 from SVC faculty and industry volunteers, and present their projects to judges. The schedule includes dedicated blocks for focused project development, mentor check-ins, and presentation preparation.
The event is proudly student-led, organized by Computing Club officers with support from SVC Computer Science Department faculty, college leadership and staff, student volunteers, and industry professionals serving as judges and mentors.
Eligibilty
Open to all! We welcome:
- High school students 16 and over
- Active students currently pursuing a post-secondary degree
- Industry professionals and community members (see prize eligibility below)
Prize Eligibility
Prizes are available only for teams composed entirely of individuals who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Currently enrolled as a student (high school or post-secondary), OR
- Have not yet graduated with a bachelor's degree, OR
- Have worked in the tech/related industry for one year or less
What's Included
- SWAG Bag: All registered participants receive a welcome kit to kick off the day.
- Meals & Refreshments: Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus snacks and drinks available all day.
- Mentorship & Networking: Structured time to connect with SVC faculty, industry professionals, and fellow innovators.
- Judging & Recognition: Present your work to a panel of judges and compete for prizes.
General Information & Schedule
General
- Date: Saturday, May 2nd, 2026
- Start Time: 8:00 AM | End Time: Estimated 7:00 - 7:30 PM
- Location: Skagit Valley College, Lewis Hall
SVC Hackathon 2026: Schedule
Location: 1800 N Laventure Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
8:00 AM
- Sign-ins open (2nd floor, L221 - breakfast served)
- Team selection begins (3rd floor, L311)
8:45 AM
- Sign-ins close
- Team selection ends
- Announcement: Introductory remarks and sub categories revealed (L311)
9:00 AM
- Breakfast closes
- Competition begins (teams disperse to assigned rooms)
- Work time: shape ideas, clarify problem scope, and begin outlining your solution approach
- Provided mentorship for all teams
12:00 PM
- Lunch is served (L221)
- Break recommended activity: Campus exploration
1:00 PM
- Lunch closes
- Work time: prepare presentations, refine solutions, evaluate feasibility, and strengthen projects for final submission.
- Provided mentorship for all teams
4:00 PM
- Devpost submissions due
- Announcement: Presentation process (L311)
4:15 PM
- Presentations begin (L227)
- Recreational activities available (L225)
6:15 PM
- Presentations end
- Recreational activities close
- Dinner is served (L221)
6:30 PM
- Announcement: Winners and conclusion (L311)
Note: Timing may be pushed back depending on the judging process.
Theme
Environmental Conservation and Sustainability
Subcategories: Revealed at the Hackathon!
Projects should focus on protecting natural resources, addressing climate challenges, or promoting sustainable practices. All innovative, theme-aligned ideas are welcome with organizer approval.
Keep your ideas flexible! The specific subcategory challenges will be announced on the day of the event, encouraging participants to think broadly about sustainability while staying ready to adapt their solutions to the revealed focus areas.
Judging Overview
All projects should propose a technology-based solution, but 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.
To ensure fair evaluation across different skill sets:
- Track-aware judging: Coder submissions will be assessed with attention to technical. execution and system design, while non-coder submissions will be evaluated on concept development, research depth, and creative problem-solving.
- Unified prize pool: All teams compete for the same prizes—there are no separate award categories for coders vs. non-coders.
- Winning criteria: Winners are selected based on overall excellence within their chosen approach.
Judges will consider factors such as:
- How clearly the project addresses the identified problem.
- The potential environmental or community impact of the solution.
- The practicality of implementing the idea beyond the event.
- The degree to which the solution engages or benefits its intended audience.
- Overall presentation quality, innovation, and originality.
A detailed scoring rubric will be provided to all participants on the day of the hackathon.
Requirements
What to Submit
All participants must submit the following items. Additional optional materials are encouraged to enhance your submission.
Required Materials
- Template Document
- Presentation Materials:
- Slide deck
- Any online documentation
- Physical presentation materials: take pictures for project media gallery.
- "Try it out" links
- GitHub repository (public or with access).
- Canva, Figma, or other prototype showcase link.
All project documents are downloaded as a PDF (where applicable), stored in a single folder, and compressed to a .zip file for submission.
Template Submission Document
SVC Hackathon 2026: [__Project_Name__]
Team Information
Team #:
Team Emails:
Team Names (First, Last) & Roles:
- Project Manager:
- Developer(s) [Frontend / Backend / Full-Stack – specify]
- Additional Roles: [Designers, Researchers, QA, etc.]
Project Overview & Details
Project Name:
Tagline:
Description: (Write 1–2 concise paragraphs describing your solution. Focus on the problem, your approach, and the core value proposition.)
Defining the Problem
What specific environmental problem are you trying to solve? (Avoid broad terms like "climate change." Be specific: e.g., "food waste in Skagit Valley school cafeterias.")
Why is this problem important to address now?
What data, observation, or story supports this urgency?
Who is directly impacted by this issue? Who is indirectly affected?
What specific technology, tools, or digital components enable your solution? (e.g., mobile app, sensor network, data dashboard, no-code automation, AI classifier)
- Follow-up: Could this work without computing? If yes, why is the tech layer essential?
Designing a Sustainable Solution
How does your solution directly benefit the environment or reduce harm? (Be specific: e.g., "reduces methane emissions by X," "prevents Y lbs of plastic from entering waterways")
What makes this approach more sustainable than existing alternatives? (Consider energy use, materials, behavior change, lifecycle, accessibility, etc.)
What trade-offs or unintended environmental impacts might exist? (e.g., "Our app reduces paper use but increases server energy—how do we offset that?")
If this solution were implemented, how would you measure progress? (e.g., tons of waste reduced, % increase in volunteer participation, policy changes influenced, user retention)
- Follow-up: What's a realistic short-term win (3 months) vs. long-term impact (2 years)?
Planning for Implementation
What resources would be needed to move from prototype to pilot? (e.g. time, funding, partnerships, technical expertise, policy support, community buy-in, etc.)
Who would adopt or implement this solution in the real world? (e.g. individuals, businesses, governments, NGOs, schools, tribes, etc.)
If you proposed this solution to a governing body, why should they adopt it? What's their most likely objection—and how would you respond?
Solution Uniqueness
What similar solutions exist?
How is yours meaningfully different or better? (Be honest: What do competitors do well? Where do they fall short?)
What part of your approach would be hardest for a competitor to copy—and why? (Is it proprietary data? Community partnerships? Unique technical architecture? Behavioral insight?)
Team Reflection
What inspired your team to create this solution to the chosen problem?
What tools were used to build this solution?
How were they used?
What challenges did your team face?
What accomplishments is your team most proud of?
What have you learned through implementing the solution?
What’s next for [__Project_Name__]? Is this something your team wants to continue working outside of this hackathon to make it a viable, real-world solution?
Prizes
SVC Foundation Scholarship – Up to 5 Credits
First-place winners are awarded a scholarship grant from the SVC Foundation, covering tuition for up to 5-credits courses.
SVC Backdoor Bakery Gift Card – $20 Value
Second-place winners receive a $20 gift card to SVC's Backdoor Bakery, redeemable for coffee, pastries, snacks, and other bakery favorites.
CascadiaJS 2026 Conference Pass – Free Admission
Third-place winners receive a complimentary ticket to the June 2026 CascadiaJS conference, granting full access to all sessions, workshops, and networking events.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Bill Barr
Sr. Director @ Avanade, Inc.
Andy Heiser
Cybersecurity Coordinator @ Skagit Valley College
Judging Criteria
-
Relevance
Make sure that your solution is related to your chosen problem category. -
Impact
Consider the degree to which your solution would solve your chosen problem. Aim to maximize positive change. -
Innovation
Be creative! Come up with a novel idea or combine existing solutions in unique ways. -
Feasibility
Consider the time, money, and other resources that would be required to implement your solution. If your solution were proposed to an environmental governing body, would it be approved? -
Presentation (double points)
Create materials to demonstrate that your solution would work if it were implemented. Present them clearly and make a strong case. Answer judges’ questions directly and confidently.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
Tell your friends
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.