University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College students recently vied for cash prizes in a virtual hackathon. The annual HIplan competition, where student teams create apps and submit business plans, moved from a face-to-face event to a completely restructured online format on April 4 and 5, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students presented layouts for app-based solutions linked to recovery efforts on Hawaiʻi Island from the 2018 lava flow.
Students worked with mentors who shared extensive knowledge in business and technology to develop the teams’ concepts, business plans and pitches. Each team then pitched their designs and answered questions from a panel of judges.
Makamae Kamaka-Mauhili (UH Hilo, business and women’s studies), Brian McMichael (Hawaiʻi CC, information technology), Karly Requelman (Hawaiʻi CC, culinary arts), and Zoe Whitney (UH Hilo, environmental science, teaching English as a second language) took first place for an app that connects community members with skills and materials to rebuild homes lost to lava.
“I am someone who tends to stay in the background, but with my team, I was able to emerge from my shell and share what I thought comfortably,” said Kamaka-Mauhili. “Since it was virtual, in my opinion it was easier for us to work together. The overall hackathon experience really broadened my scope of learning alongside applying knowledge and skill sets to produce a positive outcome.”
About 50 students from UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi CC initially registered for the in-person event but only 15 participated since many students returned home or experienced a shift in priorities after UH’s move to distance learning. UH Hilo business major Luca Checchia Adell participated from his hometown of Valencia, Spain.
UH Hilo’s Ryen Helzer is double majoring in geography and environmental science. His team took second place for its Coconut Grove app. “The HIplan Hackathon allowed me to practice creative problem-solving and presenting. The opportunity to quickly meet and work with a diverse group of individuals to create solutions is a positive experience for future endeavors,” Helzer said.
For more go to UH Hilo Stories.
