MasseyHacks: Canada’s Oldest High School Hackathon
Hackathons are collaborative events where teams of tech enthusiasts work together to create software or hardware projects in a short amount of time. They offer a unique opportunity to learn new skills, meet like-minded people, and push your boundaries. Whether you're a seasoned programmer or a beginner, there's a hackathon out there for you.
Participating in a hackathon can be a fun and rewarding experience. You'll have the chance to work on real-world problems, gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies, and build your portfolio of projects. Hackathons can also help you develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, which are highly valued in the tech industry.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about everything related to MasseyHacks, Canada’s oldest high school hackathon!
What is MasseyHacks?
MasseyHacks is a hackathon event for high school students, held annually at Vincent Massey Secondary School in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is the oldest high school hackathon in Canada, and is well-regarded for its welcoming and inclusive environment. Participants work in teams to develop creative projects using technology, and are supported by mentors and industry professionals throughout the event.
MasseyHacks offers a unique opportunity for high school students to explore their interests in technology and innovation, and to build their skills and portfolio of projects. Participants have the chance to network with peers and mentors from diverse backgrounds, and to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies.
Whether you're a seasoned programmer or a beginner, MasseyHacks is a great way to challenge yourself, learn new skills, and connect with a vibrant community of tech enthusiasts!
Benefits of participating in MasseyHacks
Develop new skills and knowledge
Attending MasseyHacks provides a great opportunity to learn and expand your skill set. The hackathon is designed to foster an inclusive and supportive environment, where students of all skill levels can participate and learn from each other. Participants have access to workshops, mentors, and industry professionals who can help guide them through the development process. By the end of the event, students will have gained hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies and developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Connect with like-minded individuals
MasseyHacks is a great place to connect with other high school students who share a passion for technology and innovation. The hackathon attracts students from diverse backgrounds, and provides a welcoming and inclusive space where everyone can feel comfortable expressing their ideas and working collaboratively. Participants have the opportunity to network with peers and mentors, exchange ideas, and form meaningful connections that can last beyond the event.
Make a positive impact
MasseyHacks is not just a fun and educational event, it also provides a platform for students to make a positive impact in their community. The hackathon encourages participants to develop projects that address real-world problems and challenges, and to use technology to make a difference. By the end of the event, students will have created projects that have the potential to benefit their community, and will have gained a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. Participating in MasseyHacks is a great way to use your skills and knowledge to make a positive change in the world.
Examples of MasseyHacks projects
Low-Difficulty Projects
Personalised Workout App
One project idea could involve creating a personalised workout app that generates workouts based on the user's fitness level and goals. To execute this idea, participants could use app development tools like Thunkable or App Inventor to create a user-friendly interface, and then integrate APIs that allow the app to generate workouts based on user input. Participants could also incorporate features like progress tracking and social sharing to make the app more engaging and motivating.
Recycling Game
Another project idea could involve creating a recycling game that educates users on proper recycling practices. The game could include different levels that test the user's knowledge of recycling rules, and provide feedback and tips along the way. To execute this idea, participants could use game development tools like Construct or Stencyl to create the game mechanics, and then incorporate educational content like videos and infographics to reinforce the learning objectives.
Personal Carbon Footprint Tracker
A third project idea could involve creating a personal carbon footprint tracker that allows users to measure their impact on the environment. The tracker could include features like a carbon calculator, tips for reducing carbon emissions, and a leaderboard to encourage users to compete with their friends. To execute this idea, participants could use web development tools like HTML and CSS to create the user interface, and then integrate APIs that allow the app to calculate carbon emissions based on user input. Participants could also partner with local environmental organisations to promote the app and encourage behaviour change.
High Difficulty Projects
Virtual Reality Education Platform
One potential project idea for MasseyHacks could involve creating a virtual reality (VR) education platform. This platform could be used to teach complex topics in a more interactive and engaging way, allowing students to explore concepts in a hands-on way. To execute this idea, participants could use software like Unity or Unreal Engine to develop the VR environment, and then create interactive objects and animations that teach different concepts. To make the platform even more engaging, participants could incorporate gamification elements, like rewards and achievements, to encourage users to keep learning.
Food Waste Reduction App
Another project idea could involve creating an app that helps reduce food waste. The app could allow users to track the expiration dates of their food items, provide recipes that use up ingredients that are close to expiring, and connect users with local food banks and shelters where they can donate excess food. To execute this idea, participants could use app development tools like React Native or Flutter to create a user-friendly interface, and then integrate APIs that allow the app to track expiration dates and suggest recipes. Participants could also partner with local food banks and shelters to promote the app and encourage donations.
Smart Traffic Control System
A third project idea could involve creating a smart traffic control system that reduces congestion and improves safety on the roads. This system could use cameras and sensors to detect traffic patterns and adjust traffic light timing accordingly, or even divert traffic to less congested routes in real-time. To execute this idea, participants could use tools like OpenCV and TensorFlow to analyse traffic patterns and develop algorithms that optimise traffic flow. They could then create a prototype of the system using a Raspberry Pi or similar device, and test it in a simulated environment to measure its effectiveness.
Winning MasseyHacks projects
One particular niche that many projects attempted to dominate was the education and AI sector. While both of these industries and topics are huge by themselves, integration of the two has never seen many happy results. Here are some projects that broke through that barrier!
PowerNote - A customizable flashcard and note generator (1st Place Overall)
By Isaac Jiang, Jayden Zhao, and Savio Joseph Benher
PowerNote allows lazy students to generate their own flashcards (as an Anki deck) and notes (in Cornell format) by processing a powerpoint through the software. It employs the use of OpenAI’s API, Apache POI’s microsoft document processing system, and various other libraries and integrations.
Flashcard.io - A website for flashcard generation (Best Education)
By Jacob Gaisinsky, Wendy Zhang, Summer Lu, and Jesse Meng
Flashcard.io takes in grade level, topic, number of flashcards, and other details (difficulty, specific topics). Using these parameters, the project generates flashcards based on what the student wants, tailored to their needs. Students are also able to upload their notes and Flashcard.io will create flashcards based on your notes.
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
