Toms River Schools Hosting Online 'Hackathon' For Students

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Toms River Regional Schools are hosting a "Hackathon" in November that's designed to challenge students to solve real-world problems through coding.

The Office of Naval Research Hack: TR Hackathon will be held online and is scheduled for Nov. 20-22 and is open to all students in sixth through 12 grades.

Scenarios will be posed Nov. 20. Teams identify the problem to solve, work to design a working or non-working prototype, and on Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. will share their solution to win prizes. New languages may be introduced and mentors will be available each day for support.

The Hackathon is part of the Toms River schools' TechReady program, created as part of a three-year grant from the Office of Naval Research to introduce teachers and students to industry-critical coding languages, most never seen in schools, and their real-world applications. The Office of Naval Research promotes science and technology applications for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The school district received the grant, worth more than $763,000, in 2018. TechReady includes free summer coding camps as well as training, activities, competitions, and access to resources throughout the school year, and gives students an opportunity to learn about coding and the career possibilities that go with it.

More information on the Hackathon is on the TR:TechReady website.

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