The Hack for Social Good hackathon brought 200 students from local high schools and middle schools to the Intellectual House at the University of Washington on April 5 for a day of creative and collaborative problem-solving. 

Led by Information School Diversity Programs Advisor Cynthia del Rosario and iSchool student leaders, the hackathon prompted students to design technology solutions to problems they identify in society while getting to experience what a day in the life of an Informatics student is like. 

iSchool Dean Anind Dey kicked off the hackathon with an introduction to the iSchool’s Informatics program. 

“Informatics is this great and unique combination of a liberal arts education paired with the love of science,” said Dey. “Our students work on investigating all kinds of issues including climate change, democracy in elections, and responsible AI use.” 

Dey’s remarks were followed by short presentations from iSchool-affiliated student groups including Black in Informatics (Binfo), iMuslims, IUGA and Women in Informatics (Winfo) highlighting the diverse student communities within the iSchool. 

After the opening ceremony, students were put into small teams of three to four members and paired with a UW student mentor who supported them for the duration of the activity. Mentors helped guide the students through each step of the design process and how to create impactful solutions. 

Informatics major and hackathon mentor Nathan Daeila said, “I’m excited for the chance to mentor high school and middle school students today because I get to help provide them the learning opportunity of how to make a positive impact on the world, the same way the iSchool has taught me.” 

Through engaging activities and exposure to the UW Informatics program, the Hack for Social Good aims to demystify the path to the UW, Informatics and a career in tech, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds. The middle- and high-school students seemed to greatly enjoy the hands-on experience and were curious to learn more about Informatics. 

“I’m looking forward to working with a group and using our ideas to create a solution to a problem I’m passionate about,” said seventh-grader Aili Kim from Open Window School. 

“I don’t know much about Informatics, but as someone who hopes to pursue a career in tech I’m interested to learn more about all that the program has to offer,” said Vislee Roman, a senior from Kent-Meridian High School. 

Other participating schools included Showalter Middle School in Tukwila, Auburn Mountainview High School and Bothell High School.