Winners Announced for CBusStudentHack Coding for Community: Peacebuilding Hackathon

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University and its branch campus, Urbana University hosted nearly 200 students from central Ohio and Champaign County area high schools last week for the CBusStudentHack Coding for Community: Peacebuilding Hackathon –computer programming contest finale.

Throughout the 7-week contents, students learned how to navigate and create apps focused on peacebuilding and conflict resolution for a better community. Through their efforts, CBusStudentHack students learn 21st century skills via computer science education, and prepared for college and career readiness, all while solving real world problems that opened the doors of opportunity and creativity.

For the finale, students met at the Columbus Metropolitan Library to present their project ideas to a team of community judges, comprised of industry and government experts. This year’s judges, who volunteered their time and expertise, represented the following organizations:  Battelle, Franklin University, Fog Creek Software, Happy Hospital Project, IGS Energy, Nexosis, Ohio National Guard, Tech Corps, University of Cincinnati, Urbana University, and White Castle Corporation.

The winning apps were:

• 1st Place: Team DROP TABLE (Dublin City Schools-Jerome)
• 2nd Place: Team Shredd Squad (Dublin Jerome)
• 3rd Place: Team Kahle Salad (Upper Arlington Schools)
• 4th Place - Best Presentation: Team Approximately Hungry (Dublin Sciota)
• 5th Place - Best Idea: Team Ga-Hack-Na Global Citizens (@GahannaLincolnHighSchool)
• Nexosis Challenge: Team: Principals (Dublin Jerome)
• Rookie Team: Kahle Salad (Upper Arlington)

In support of the need to increase the number of students entering STEM fields, all participants who completed this year’s CbusStudenthack challenge have been offered a scholarship toward attending either Franklin University or Urbana University - up to $40,000.

A special thank you to this year’s sponsors: Battelle, PK Financial Group, Battle for Humanity, Nexosis, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library

“All young people should be offered the opportunity and encouragement to engage in STEM related endeavors, to help prepare them to become the innovators, researchers, and leaders who solve the challenges facing society, both today and tomorrow,” said Christopher Washington, Provost and Senior Vice President, Franklin University. “Providing access to technology-focused competitions such as the CbusStudentHack, supports not only access to quality STEM learning opportunities, but also stimulates interest and talent in technology fields, one of the major workforce development gaps we face today.”

To learn more about the CBusStudentHack visit http://cbusstudenthack.org/ and to continue the conversation on social media please use the hashtag #CBusStudentHack.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).