Hack the Wave is San Diego's biggest high school hackathon.
Excited to participate in twelve hours of coding, connection, and fun? This October, Hack the Wave is open to students of any skill level between the ages of 13-18. You're in for a great time!
An incredible experience at your fingertips.
Hack the Wave is a San Diego-based hackathon run for high schoolers, by high schoolers. We invite kids passionate about tech from all over the county to come together for 12 hours, where they can build software or hardware projects from scratch and compete for cool prizes. All experience levels are welcome!
Time & Date
October 21 @ 9AM to 9PM.
Location
5951 Village Center Loop Rd, San Diego, CA 92130
Build something awesome

Make memories
Hackathons are a great place to get to know other passionate students. We welcome all hackers to team up and collaborate on projects, or engage in some friendly competition!

Create and learn
Common hackathon projects include apps and websites, but you can create any project you'd like from scratch. Our mentors are eager to help, and we'll also be hosting several fun workshops that you can participate in.

Get free stuff
From snacks to free goodies, we have a ton of stuff on hand available to all attendees! By hacking, you'll also get the chance to win some awesome prizes...
Frequently asked questions
You can find more specific information about the event by signing up and joining the mailing list or by checking out our social media channels.
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Admission is totally free! We'll cover meals and snacks, drinks, accomodations, and free swag for all attendees.
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We allow any middle or high school student between the ages of 13-18 to sign up. We'll primarily be expecting attendees from the San Diego area, but students elsewhere are welcome to participate if they can travel to and from the venue. Within the age range but not currently enrolled in school? Reach out to us at hello@hackthewave.com and we'll see what we can do.
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Beginners are welcome to participate! We'll have workshops, mentors, and other resources during the hackathon to get you up to speed, so that you can have a great experience learning and connecting with like-minded people.
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Hack the Wave in 2023 will take place in-person! Register now or follow us on social media to receive updates about the event.
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We will be limiting teams to 4 people. You can join up with other hackers before or during the event. If you don't want to be on a team, that's okay, too—feel free to work independently.
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We encourage attendees to remain COVID-safe throughout the event, and we will maintain a sanitary environment for hackers. Please note that, as with all in-person events, there will be COVID-related risks irrespective of precautions. We will contact everyone with more details as we near the event.
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Unfortunately, we do not have the financial resources to provide travel stipends at this time. But if you are not a San Diego local and are able to travel to the venue, we wholeheartedly welcome you to attend.
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We have a panel of industry professionals acting as judges during our event, and we will also give attendees a chance to cast their votes on their favorite projects for each category. These judgments will be weighted half-and-half.
Schedule
09:00 AM
Check-In / Breakfast
09:30 AM
Opening Ceremony
11:00 AM
Workshop: Buid an AI Trip Planner (Intermediate)
Workshop: Build a JavaScript Stopwatch (Beginner)
12:30 PM
Lunch
02:00 PM
Scavenger Hunt
03:00 PM
Workshop: Build a Web-Based AR App (Intermediate)
05:30 PM
Dinner
07:00 PM
Ice Cream + Spotify Jam Session
08:00 PM
Presentations
08:45 PM
Closing Ceremony
Meet the team
We're a group of high school students from San Diego County who want to help you spark your passion for all things tech. This hackathon is the culmination of our months-long effort to make that a reality.

Melinda Chang
DirectorAnnika Xuan
Organizer
Bolun Thompson
Organizer
Brianna Magtoto
Organizer
Angela Magtoto
OrganizerBe a part of the magic
Hack the Wave is made possible by our amazing sponsors. Want to help bring tech into our community?