The Code for Good hackathon, hosted by student organization HackDuke, brought together coders of all skill levels for a 24-hour marathon of coding, debugging, and caffeine consumption. From February 8-9, teams of up to four individuals competed for prizes ranging from LEGO sets to Apple Watches, with most projects focusing on tracks such as Health, Finance, Sustainability, and Interactive Media.
This year’s hackathon saw a diverse group of participants hailing from all over the country, attracted by HackDuke’s social media advertising efforts. The event aimed to be inclusive to newcomers in the coding world, providing beginner tracks, mentorship opportunities, and beginner tech kits to help participants navigate the hackathon experience.
One notable success story from the event was Team LARI, consisting of Duke freshmen Alexis Fox, Phillip Lin, Eric Wang, and Siven Panda, who clinched second place in the Health track. Their project, Linked Automated Rescheduling Interface (LARI), aimed to streamline the process of rescheduling appointments in hospitals, showcasing the innovative solutions that can emerge from hackathons.
Despite the time constraints of the hackathon, many teams managed to create proof of concepts for their projects. The integration of AI technology was a common theme, with workshops dedicated to utilizing AI tools for coding. AI proved to be a valuable asset for both experienced and novice teams, helping them achieve more complete projects within the limited timeframe.
One standout project was “filosof.ai,” created by first-time participants Carlos and Elijah from MIT, a digital journal that analyzes entries for philosophy beginners. Another notable entry was Campus Closet, developed by Duke seniors Julia Hornstein, Owen Jennings, and Chinomnsoo Okechukwu, which aimed to reduce waste and fast fashion demand by creating a platform for students to buy and sell theme-specific clothes within their university community.
For many participants, the hackathon was not only a learning experience but also a bonding opportunity. Teams formed strong connections over the course of the event, with plans to continue working on their projects beyond the hackathon. The sense of accomplishment and camaraderie fostered during the event left participants feeling inspired and confident in their coding abilities.
With a record number of applications and product submissions, the Code for Good 2025 hackathon was deemed a success by the organizers. The event’s focus on inclusivity, innovation, and collaboration proved to be a winning formula, showcasing the creativity and talent of the participants. As the curtains closed on another successful hackathon, the Code for Good legacy continues to thrive, leaving a lasting impact on the coding community.