Year 10 Academy U Hackathon
There are 10 Year 10 students who are participating in Academy U, a program run in partnership with Western Sydney University, and which is open to ten students in Year 10 each year.
These students follow the program through to Year 12, where they have the opportunity to complete a university level unit while undertaking their preliminary HSC.
Recently the students involved, Erin M., Keisha M., Emily P., Chanel C., Sandrina R., Shanelle W., Rhea A., Josephine C., Tanisha S. and Georgia E., attended a hackathon where they were challenged to develop a solution to a sustainability problem. Working in separate groups, with students from other schools who they did not know, they were asked to research an existing problem, develop an innovative and realistic solution, and then summarise this into a 60 second pitch.
Sandrina has written a reflection of the day below:
The main goal of the Academy U Hackathon was to address real-world challenges through teamwork and creativity. Working in groups, we brainstormed, developed and pitched our solutions to a panel of industry experts, which was a fantastic way to apply what we've been learning in class.
Throughout the day I faced several challenges including managing time effectively, navigating diverse perspectives, ensuring our ideas were feasible and honing my presentation skills. Despite these obstacles, I gained valuable insights, including the importance of critical thinking, collaboration and real-world application.
Engaging with industry experts made our work feel relevant and underscored the significance of our efforts. Overall, the Hackathon was an inspiring experience that empowered us to think critically about sustainability and develop innovative solutions, and I’m excited to see how our ideas can contribute to a more sustainable future!
Ms Joanne Xuereb | Leader of Learning Pathways and Partnerships
Catherine McAuley Westmead
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