What is a hackathon? 
A hackathon is an event, typically lasting several days, in which a large number of people
meet to engage in collaborative computer programming.

Who are the students?
Sarasota County students ages 13-18 from low-opportunity settings recruited through Sarasota County Schools, the Education Foundation’s Digital Learning Lab partners, and community organizations.

Who are the mentors? 
Three types of mentors work with students throughout the weekend: Developer (programmer, engineer, computer science student or grad); Designer (front-end developer or graphic designer); and Innovator (educator, entrepreneur, problem solver).

Why Sarasota County? 

• In Sarasota County Public Schools, 52% of the 43,300 students qualify for the income restricted National School Lunch Program.
• Many of these underserved students don’t have access to technology training beyond the few basic classes at school.
• Over the next 10 years, there will be 1 million more computing jobs than students to fill them - A potential loss of $500 BILLION in salaries!

How will the Education Foundation's #SRQHacks Hackathon help? 
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County invests in high-impact projects and initiatives that help every child in Sarasota County rise to their full potential. The #SRQHacks Hackathon will...

• Promote a college and career-going culture by exposing underserved students to computer science careers they wouldn't ordinarily learn about
• Foster an invested and involved community
• Create sustainability by connecting students with coding and computer science opportunities and mentoring beyond the hackathon

How does the hackathon work? 
Several area-specific issues are chosen by Sarasota and Manatee communities prior to the event. Students and mentors are teamed up to create an app or website that could positively impact the issue. Mentors use their particular expertise to help students think outside of the box and begin creating the best app possible during the accelerated timeframe.

When and where will #SRQHacks take place?
October 14-16, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016: 5:00-9:00pm
Saturday, October 15, 2016: 8:00am-8:00pm
Sunday, October 16, 2016: 8:00am-6:00pm
(Schedule subject to change)

New College of Florida's Sudakoff Conference Center 
5845 General Dougher Place
Sarasota, FL 34243

Awesome! How do I sign up?
Mentors and volunteers, click here. Students, click here. If you want to get involved in another way, don't hesitate to contact us with your ideas!

Still have a question? Contact us!

Email: jsams@edfoundation.net | Phone: 941-927-0965 | http://www.edfoundation.net