Hackathon Jr. a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, is a new youth learning competition to encourage children ages 9-13 years old to engage in STEM education. What is a Hackathon? A lot of people ask us, what is a Hackathon and why are we doing it with kids? The answer to why is easy: kids are the best innovators. As for what a Hackathon is, that is more difficult to explain. You see, the goal of a Hackathon is not to create a perfectly polished code or a finished app or game that works. The goal is to come up with the best possible solution to a real-world problem using technology. We teach them to embrace a debugging mindset and to persevere when faced problems to take their ideas from concept to a prototype all in the span of an 8-hour day! Our Junior Hackers work together in ways they never have before. They think outside the box, communicate effectively and share ideas with all who will listen.