Hawai'i's youth are not only riding waves but also creating technological ripples as the Hawai‘i Annual Code Challenge (HACC) announces its winners for 2024. A blend of high schoolers, college students, and young professionals, they totaled nine teams who clinched the top awards, summing up to $18,000, after a rigorous competition.
During the event on November 16 at the University of Hawai‘i West Oʻahu, about 120 spectators consisting of friends, family, and backers witnessed as 17 finalist teams tackled six different challenges, their solutions hinged on enhancing various state and community services, like refining the state’s open data portal addressing energy efficiency, or even a game designed to recognize Hawai‘i's bird species, the event featured 158 participants that formed 41 teams and yielded 27 project submissions, out of which 17 made it as finalists.
Speaking to the value of the solutions presented, Hawai‘i’s Chief Information Officer Christine M. Sakuda said, "I am so proud of the teams’ ability to solve these challenges, under the hackathon time constraint, in innovative ways." Further, she emphasized the fun had by participants in utilizing their technological, problem-solving, and presentation skills to develop the best solutions, as noted in the official press release on the Office of the Governor website.
University of Hawai‘i’s President David Lassner explored the HACC's expansive benefits beyond the tech itself, sharing on the Office of the Governor website, "The HACC is a way we bring together those who want to develop technology solutions with public service providers who have challenges to address." indicating the event's role in honing an array of workplace skills such as communication, collaboration, and resilience. The hackathon notably strives to fuse Hawai‘i's technological minds with the state's goals to head towards a more innovative and open government, with the HACC also aimed at bolstering the IT workforce pipeline and broadening the tech sector within the state.
The participation from tech giants underscores the impact of HACC on aspiring developers; Rick Joyer, Azure Director of State & Local Government West for Microsoft, stated on the Office of the Governor website, "Microsoft is incredibly proud to support the Hawaii Annual Code Challenge, this event is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the exceptional problem-solving skills and innovative talent of local students and residents across the State of Hawaiʻi."
