More than 125 middle and high school students gathered on April 29 for the second annual Round Rock ISD Hackathon, co-hosted by the district’s Enrichment Department and CodeWizardsHQ. The sold-out all-day event allowed students to tackle real-world challenges through technology and innovation.
Superintendent Dr. Hafedh Azaiez began the event with an inspiring keynote address, emphasizing that hackathons are about creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving, not just coding.
“I encourage you to embrace failure as part of the innovation process, experiment, and push beyond your comfort zones. Everyone has something valuable to contribute, regardless of skill level,” Azaiez said.
Throughout the day, students collaborated under the guidance of industry mentors, developing projects to solve pressing challenges. A total of 40 ideas were pitched, leading to the formation of 25 teams. Projects ranged from AI-powered tools for reducing food waste to innovative healthcare solutions and fitness tracking applications.
At the end of the event, the teams presented their projects to a panel of judges. The winning projects included:
- 1st Place: Bite Back Waste – An AI-powered solution designed to reduce food waste and address environmental and economic concerns.
- 2nd Place: Early Cancer Detection AI – A project focused on improving early cancer diagnosis through artificial intelligence.
- 3rd Place: FitTrack – A fitness tool designed to evaluate exercise form, improve workout efficiency, and prevent injuries.
Code Wizard’s founder and CEO, Jey Iyempandi helped curate the event, and was excited to see our students excited to meet the challenge.
“The students’ ideas, enthusiasm, and work ethic exceeded my expectations. Their dedication was truly inspiring, showcasing their incredible potential. It was immensely satisfying to bring this opportunity to them,” Iyempandi said.
Raine Maggio, Director of Enrichment at Round Rock ISD, awarded the winners prizes and commended all participants for their forward-thinking ideas.
“It’s amazing to see the out-of-the-box and forward-thinking ideas our students have. It gives me immense confidence in their ability to thrive in a tech-driven future,” Maggio said.
The event reinforced Round Rock ISD’s commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving among students, ensuring they are well-prepared for the future.
