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Hackathon 2018
Photos & highlights from St. Luke's signature event—the fourth annual Hackathon.
Seventy eager innovators—grades 5-12— spent the weekend in pursuit of wild ideas during St. Luke’s fourth annual Hackathon.
St. Luke’s designLab Director Michael Mitchell describes the Hackathon as “time and space for students to learn and to create.” He observed that “so many of us have great ideas but rarely carve out the time to turn ideas into something real.” The 30-hour (participants stay on campus overnight) Hackathon gives emerging makers a chance to focus, collaborate and get creative.
Participants can learn from mentors that include St. Luke’s teachers and returning alumni. They also have access to resources many might not have at home including 3D and laser printers, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi. “The quality of the hacks and presentations was by far the best we've ever seen” said Mitchell. “Over 40% of the hackers were female. Next year we hope that’s 50% or higher.”
David Pakman, an Internet Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist at Venrock, is a St. Luke’s trustee and father of three students in grades 5, 8 and 11. Pakman helped Mitchell conceive and develop the Hackathon concept: “This event is St. Luke’s at its best. We’re building the skills kids needs for the future—leadership, technology, collaboration, and creativity. I love seeing children face the challenge of an unknown outcome. They learn from struggling with uncertainty. They rely on each other to solve problems. It’s very much like the real world.”
Visit the Hackathon photo gallery.
Winning hackers received a gift card to Adafruit Industries.
Middle School:
First Place—Nose-Scratching Hat by Kendall Bayliss, Amanda Millar & Keilan Rosow
Second Place—Kinect Controlled Robotic Arm by Sam Pakman
Third Place—eBike by Colt Alford, Henry Robb & Jacob Waldman
Honorable Mention—Skyboard by Mary Catherine Besgen, Fiona Mueller & Ava Waldman
Upper School:
First Place—Secure Briefcase by Connor Rosow, Jamie Ullman & Marco Volpitta
Second Place—Solar Water Heater by Peter Nicos, Will Russell, Ross Spellman (Wooster School) & Claire Watson (SLS)
Third Place—Remote Dog Tug-O-War by Jack Briggs & Liam Patty
Honorable Mention—SLS Mario Kart by Dominic Demarco & Logan Diliberto & Predictive Shakespeare by Alexandra Schwartz.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
