My name is Ross Conboy and I’m reaching out again regarding the Leaving Cert Hackathon I'm co-hosting with The PorterShed in Galway. This is a unique event aimed at fostering creativity, collaboration, and programming skills among 5th and 6th Year Computer Science students.
We've gotten confirmation that Republic of Work (Cork) and RDI Hub (Killorglin) have come on board to co-host the event. This is a great development and considering the weather we're having; it will help reduce travel difficulties for lots of students.
Again, I'd like to extend an invitation to you and your Computer Science students to participate in the event, scheduled for Saturday 18th January 2025, in the following locations:
The PorterShed - Galway City
Republic of Work - Cork City
RDI Hub - Killorglin, Co. Kerry
If interested you can contact me directly via email ([email protected]), and please feel free to share this information with your fellow teachers.
This is the second year of the Leaving Cert Hackathon Ireland, designed to provide a platform for 6th Year CS students to collaborate on their programming skills. We have partnered with PorterShed2 to ensure a seamless experience, including a well-organized schedule and dedicated mentors to guide the students throughout the day.
There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided.
Objectives:
- Foster new student friendships. - Promote collaboration and communication skills. - Enhance programming abilities. - Develop presentation skills. - Encourage a passion for Computer Science.
Tentative Schedule: 1. Welcome and orientation for all students and teachers. 2. Talks by our guest speakers. Approximately 3 x 30 min (15min presentation + Q&A) dispersed throughout the day. 3. Brainstorming & voting up of project ideas. 4. Creation of teams and initial project planning. 5. Coding, prototyping, and testing. 6. Presentation by all teams of their project ideas. 7. Award ceremony.
Participation Details: - Ideally we're hoping to have 10 teams of 5 students each (mix of students from different schools). - There will be a short workshop for teachers on the day also.
I am confident that your students would enjoy and benefit from this event, and their participation would contribute to the success of the Hackathon. If you are interested, I would love to discuss any additional details or answer any questions you may have.
Please share this link with your students, they can register and enter their details on the form provided. We advise they use their school email to register and include a project idea that they would like to explore on the day.
The theme for this year is:
"Data is the new oil. Like oil, data is valuable, but if unrefined it cannot really be used." - Clive Humby
Please note places are limited to ensure that students get the most from the experience.
Thank you for considering this invitation, and I look forward to the possibility of welcoming your school to the Leaving Cert Hackathon 2025.
