Dates

Hackathon Duration: April 11-May 23rd, 2026

Registration Deadline:  4/6/2026 @ 5:00 PM CDT

Project Submission Deadline: 5/23/2026 @ 1 PM CDT

Winners Announced: 5/27/2026 @ 7:00 PM CDT

All projects must be submitted before the deadline to be eligible for judging.

 

Eligibility

  • Open to high school students currently enrolled in any American school (or equivalent homeschool program).

  • Participants must be between the ages of 13 and 19 at the time of registration.

  • Individuals or teams of up to 4 members may participate.

  • Participants must adhere to the HackAmerica Code of Conduct throughout the event.

  • International participants are welcome to join, but prizes may be restricted to American residents unless otherwise specified.

Project and Submission Requirements

Projects must address a real-world problem and be developed during the hackathon period.

You may use any programming language, framework, tool, or API of your choice.

 

Each submission must include:

 

  • A project title and short description

  • A written explanation of the problem you’re solving and how your project addresses it

  • A demo video (maximum 3 minutes) showing your project in action

  • A link to your code repository (e.g., GitHub)

  • A list of team members and technologies used

  • A brief reflection on your development process and learnings

  • Incomplete or late submissions may not be eligible for judging.

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded to the top projects based on judging criteria (see below). Specific prize categories may include:

 

Best Overall Hack

Best Solo Project

Best First-Time Hacker Project

Most Creative/Original Hack

 

Additional sponsored prizes may also be offered. All prizes will be announced on the official HackAmerica Devpost page and Discord server.

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Every project submitted to HackAmerica will be reviewed by our panel of judges made up of industry professionals, educators, and tech leaders who are excited to see what students can create. Projects will be judged on creativity, impact, technical achievement, and presentation. It’s not just about how advanced your code is, but how well your idea comes to life and why it matters. You don’t need to be an expert to win. Show us something thoughtful, original, and built with heart.

 

HackAmerica Code of Conduct

HackAmerica is committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for everyone. We expect all participants, mentors, volunteers, and organizers to treat each other with respect and kindness, regardless of:

 

  • Gender

  • Gender identity and expression

  • Age

  • Sexual orientation

  • Disability

  • Physical appearance

  • Body size

  • Race

  • Ethnicity

  • Nationality

  • Religion

  • Political views

  • Previous hackathon experience (or lack thereof)

  • Computing experience or skill level

  • Choice of programming language or technology stack

 

Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, inappropriate sexual language or imagery in any part of the event, including:

 

  • Hacks and project submissions

  • Talks, presentations, or demos

  • Workshops

  • Any hackathon-related social events or parties

  • Social media or other online platforms associated with HackAmerica

 

Anyone who violates these guidelines may be removed from the event at the discretion of the organizers.

 

If you experience or witness any behavior that violates this code, please reach out to our team immediately.

 

Contact for Reporting or Support:

Name: Sanjay Subbaraj

Email: contact@hackamerica.org

Discord: https://discord.gg/chZNkUXQ

 

We are here to ensure that HackAmerica is a positive experience for everyone. Thank you for helping us build a respectful and supportive community.