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Top 8 Hackathons for High School Students in California

If you're a high school student in California, participating in hackathons is a great opportunity for you to deepen your understanding of technology and enhance your problem-solving skills. These events allow you to collaborate with peers on projects that tackle real-world challenges, showcasing your coding expertise and creativity. Such participation can be a significant asset to your college applications, demonstrating to admissions officers your technical abilities, teamwork experience, and dedication to using technology for social good. 


To help you get started, we have put together a list of 8 great hackathons for high school students in California! 


1. Stanford ACM’s ProCo

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Individual students and groups of up to three 

Hackathon Dates: Mid-April (2023 hackathon was on April 11)

Registration Deadline: March (2024 date TBD)

Eligibility: High School Students in the Bay Area, teams of max three people


Stanford ACM's ProCo competition is a great opportunity for you to test your problem-solving and programming skills. The format of ProCo typically involves a series of coding problems and challenges that participants must tackle within a specified time frame. High school students, either as individuals or in teams, can participate in this competition, giving them a chance to work collaboratively and demonstrate their coding skills. The problems presented in ProCo span various computer science domains, covering topics like algorithms, data structures, and software development. 


Winning ProCo as a high school participant is a significant achievement and can serve as a testament to your coding skills and problem-solving abilities. The selectivity adds to the competition's importance in providing a platform for you to showcase your abilities and engage with like-minded peers.


2. Mountain Hacks

 

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Individual 

Hackathon Dates: March 16, 2024 from 7:15 AM - 9:30 PM

Registration Deadline: March 13, 2024

Eligibility: All high School students are eligible


MountainHacks 2024 is a 14-hour hackathon scheduled for March 16 at Mountain House High School. This event is open to all high school students from grades 9-12, catering to a wide range of experience levels. Whether you're just starting out or already have advanced skills, MountainHacks welcomes you to join. During the hackathon, you'll engage in a series of coding challenges and project-building activities. 


It's an in-person event, packed with exciting elements such as free food, exclusive swag, hands-on workshops, and a chance to win prizes. You'll also have access to a variety of developer tools to aid in your hacking endeavors. You should have a foundational understanding of coding principles and be familiar with at least one programming language. Through workshops and collaboration, you'll have the chance to learn new coding skills or refine existing ones, all while working on projects that could revolutionize aspects of technology or society. 


3. Mateo Hacks

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Individual and Groups (1-4 people)

Hackathon Dates: March 23, 2024 from 8 AM - 9 PM

Registration Deadline: Unspecified

Eligibility: Any high school and middle school student can participate, no prior programming experience needed.


Mateo Hacks invites you to a full day and in-person hackathon at San Mateo High School. You’ll go through stages of brainstorming, developing, and presenting your projects within the span of 13 hours.


To thrive at Mateo Hacks, possessing basic to advanced coding skills can be highly advantageous, depending on the complexity of the project you envision. Familiarity with programming languages such as Python, Java, or JavaScript, and understanding web or app development frameworks, could significantly enhance your ability to bring your ideas to life. Throughout the event, workshops and mentorship opportunities will be available, providing you with resources to learn new skills or refine existing ones. 


4. SC Wilhacks 5.0

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Individual and Groups (1-4 people)

Hackathon Dates: March 23, 2024 from 9 AM - 9 PM

Registration Deadline: First come, first serve

Eligibility: Anybody in high school currently (grades 9-12), or the equivalent home-school level can participate


At SC Wilhacks 5.0, you'll have the chance to immerse yourself in an intense, 12-hour coding experience hosted by Wilcox High School and Santa Clara High School. This in-person hackathon encourages high school students from any grade and with any level of programming experience to join. Whether you're a seasoned coder or a curious beginner, you're welcome to form teams of up to four people, aiming to bring innovative ideas to life and compete for cool prizes.


During the event, your primary objective will be to develop a fully functioning piece of software. This could be anything from a website or mobile app to a video game, depending on your interests and skills. The specific theme for the projects will be unveiled at the opening ceremony, guiding the direction of your creativity and development efforts. Familiarity with programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, or Swift, and experience with development tools and platforms, can greatly aid in the creation of your project. 


5. HS Hacks

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Individual and Groups (1-5 people)

Hackathon Dates: April 20, 2024 from 8 AM - 8 PM

Registration Deadline: First come, first serve

Eligibility: Anybody in high school currently (grades 9-12)


At HSHacks, you’ll participate in 12 hours of coding, workshops, and entertainment. This weekend-long hackathon is the perfect opportunity for you to build projects and forge new friendships. Regardless of your skill level—from complete beginner to coding master—HSHacks encourages you to participate. You have the option to work solo or team up with a group of 3-5 peers to develop your project


The hackathon structure encourages you to either respond to real-world challenges presented by nonprofit partners, aiming to boost their societal impact with your innovative applications, or bring to life your own ideas within the hackathon's theme. Whether you're interested in developing a mobile app, web application, or a hardware project, the choice is yours. HSHacks provides a series of live, interactive workshops covering a range of topics from web development and artificial intelligence to mastering APIs


6. LA Hacks

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Individual and Groups (1-4 people)

Hackathon Dates: April 19-21, 2024 

Registration Deadline: 2/23/24

Eligibility: High school and college (undergraduate and graduate) students are welcome to attend. Note: minors (age < 18) will need parent/guardian approval to attend.


At LA Hacks, you’ll participate in a hackathon that welcomes over 1,000 participants, along with mentors, volunteers, and sponsors, offering an opportunity for you to dive into the world of technology and innovation. With $30,000 in prizes, the competition fosters a creative and challenging environment where you can showcase your skills across four distinct tracks.


The hackathon kicks off on a Friday night and concludes on Sunday morning, providing you with a packed schedule that includes not just coding, but also engaging events, panels, workshops, and various activities designed to enrich your experience. You will need to be ready to work in teams or individually to conceptualize, develop, and finalize a project within the allotted time.


7. American Computer Science League (ACSL)

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: Groups up to 12 people

Hackathon Dates: Multiple rounds with the first round ending March 15

Registration Deadline: Varies per competition

Eligibility: Must be an elementary, middle or high school student. Please check if your school has registered for the competition.


The American Computer Science League (ACSL) is a well-reputed organization that conducts an array of computer science and programming competitions for students at various levels, from elementary school to high school. The ACSL competitions feature a format that challenges participants with a series of problems that span a broad range of topics in computer science, including algorithms, data structures, and software development. 


These problems are designed to stimulate critical thinking, creativity, and logical reasoning, and participants can submit their solutions individually or as part of a team. ACSL competitions occur multiple times throughout the year, and participants have the flexibility to choose the contests that align with their interests and skill levels. The format is structured to provide students with an engaging and educational experience that not only helps them develop strong coding skills but also prepares them for potential careers in computer science and technology.


In terms of selectivity, ACSL is generally open to a wide range of students interested in computer science and programming. Read through our ultimate guide to the ACSL here!


8. NASA International Space Apps Competition

Cost: Free

Group or Individual: You register as an individual and form teams later on.

Hackathon Dates: October 7 at 9AM - October 8 at 11:59 PM

Registration Deadline: July

Eligibility: Everyone is eligible to participate


The NASA International Space Apps Competition is an annual event, organized by NASA, invites participants worldwide to work together on a variety of space-related projects, from developing software applications to designing hardware solutions. The competition's format typically spans a weekend, during which participants form teams and tackle specific challenges posed by NASA and its partners. These challenges encompass a wide range of topics, including space technology, Earth science, and space exploration, offering a diverse array of opportunities for participants to showcase their skills and creativity.


In terms of selectivity, the NASA International Space Apps Competition is known for its inclusivity, welcoming participants with a broad spectrum of backgrounds and skill levels. While the competition is not known for extreme selectivity in terms of participation, it's extremely difficult for teams to win. The teams that excel in developing innovative and impactful solutions have the chance to win accolades and recognition from NASA and its partners, showcasing their problem-solving abilities on a global stage.

If you’re looking to build unique projects in the field of AI/ML, consider applying to Veritas AI! 


Veritas AI was founded by Harvard graduate students, and through the programs, you get a chance to learn the fundamentals of AI and computer science while collaborating on real-world projects. You can also work 1-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn data science and AI with us. You can apply here!


Image Source - NASA International Space Apps Competition