BUILD Students Tackle Real-World Challenges at Hackathon
BUILD students and teachers from Lionel Wilson Preparatory Academy in Oakland traveled to the San Francisco office of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank last month for an inspiring Hackathon. In this hands-on event, students learned to apply Human-Centered Design principles to solve real-world challenges by building prototypes, testing solutions, and pitching their ideas to an audience, including industry experts who served as judges.
Students worked in teams with volunteer mentors to create prototypes and pitches.
Using Human-Centered Design
Students worked through four key steps – Ideate, Prototype, Test, and Pitch – to solve meaningful problems in their communities with the support of SVB employee volunteers, including building a physical prototype. Throughout the day, students worked in teams to deliver their product pitches to a host of BUILD alumni judges, moving on to their final “Shark-Tank style” pitches to volunteers from the business community. Students showcased their creative solutions, demonstrating their teamwork and problem-solving skills. These volunteers provided coaching and guidance throughout the process, helping students refine their ideas, think critically, and present them with confidence.
Students presented their ideas to volunteers and business leaders
“I gained a newfound appreciation for how students think
about the world.”
– Volunteer Jen
Honoring Our Board Leaders
We are grateful to Danielle Conkling, JP Giannini, and Justin Ko, BUILD California regional and advisory board members, respectively, for their years of leadership and community building. Their dedication has helped create transformative opportunities and impact for students in Oakland and on the Peninsula.
Thank you, SVB, for your long-standing support of our BUILD students over the past 20+ years! Your partnership inspires thousands of students nationwide to develop the entrepreneurial mindsets and leadership skills to become the CEO of their own lives!
