I recently organized a hackathon called JecHacks in my freshman year of high school. It was a 12 hour online hackathon that I co-founded and led. I learned a lot from this experience, and I wanted to share my journey of organizing a hackathon in high school.

The backstory

JecHacks started as something I wanted to do for fun. I was inspired by hackathons I had attended in the past like Hackclub Campfire and Spur Hacks. These hackathons were fun, but I wanted to create something that felt more like a community. I wanted to make a hackathon that was welcoming to people of all skill levels, and that encouraged people to build things they were proud of. So one day after school, at around 2AM, I talked to my friend and co-founder, and we decided to start JecHacks. We wanted to create a hackathon that was focused on the people building, not just the prizes or the theme.

We started by emailing universities, reaching out to sponsors, and creating a website. We wanted to make sure that the event was accessible to everyone, so we made sure to have a clear and simple registration process. We also brainstormed ways to make the event more inclusive, like having a mentorship program and workshops. We wanted to make sure that everyone felt welcome and supported, no matter their skill level. But, not everything went smoothly. We had to deal with a lot of unexpected challenges, like almost zero real funding. But we learned to adapt and problem-solve on the fly. We also learned the importance of communication and collaboration, as we had to work closely with our team and sponsors to make sure everything ran smoothly.

The event

The JecHacks that we organized was a success, and we were proud of what we accomplished. We had a great turnout: 150 participants internationally, 40+ submissions, and $5000+ in prizes. though it was smaller than we had hoped. Due to the funding issues, we had to make some tough decisions about what we could and couldn't do. We went from being a 12 hour in-person hackathon to a 12 hour online hackathon. We also had to make some tough decisions about the prizes and the theme. But we learned that it's not about the prizes or the theme, it's about the people building. We were proud of the projects that were built, and we were proud of the community that we created.

Here's a little recap video that I created to show what actually happened:

What I learned

I learned a lot from organizing JecHacks. I learned that it's not always about the flashy prizes, or the cool venues. It's about the people. I learned that it's important to be flexible and adaptable, and to be willing to make tough decisions. I learned that communication and collaboration are key to making sure everything runs smoothly. I also learned that leading a project means paying attention to the small things before they become someone else’s problem. That is a habit I want to carry into every project after this one.

This experience has taught me that I can create something from nothing, especially when I have a team of people who believe in the vision. It has also taught me that I can make a difference in my community, and that I can create something that people will remember. It made me realize that things will not always go as planned, but that doesn't mean you can't make the best of it. It has also taught me that I can be a leader, and that I can inspire others to build and create. I learned that I can be a problem solver, and that I can find solutions to challenges that arise. Overall, this experience has taught me that I am capable of more than I ever thought was possible for me at this point in my life.

Conclusion

JecHacks gave me a different kind of confidence. I still care about writing code and shipping products, but I now care just as much about creating the space where other people can make things too.