AI-Powered Virtual Ag-Tech & AI Youth Hackathon 2026
⚡ URGENT: ONLY 5 SPONSORED PASSES REMAINING! REGISTRATION DEADLINE: TODAY AT 3:00 PM EST!
OCTOBER 9–11, 2026 • 100% VIRTUAL ONLINE HACKATHON

STEM4US! AI Ag-Tech Youth Hackathon

Build AI Apps. Solve Real Food Deserts. Win Cash Prizes & Career Credentials.

Middle & High School students (Ages 10–18) learn AI tools, build real app prototypes, and compete across 6 global teams for top prizes—100% online from home.

Select Your Fast-Track Registration Below
Parent & Student Sign-Up → Claim Free Sponsored Pass ($0) • Deadline 3:00 PM Today Volunteer: Mentor or Coach → 100% Free • Choose 20-Min Sprints or Team Coaching
✓ 100% Safety Track Record
✓ 36+ Professional Industry Mentors
✓ 30+ Corporate & University Sponsors
✓ No Prior Coding Experience Required
Parent & Student Sign-Up Volunteer (Free)
Live Broadcast & Keynote Stream
Open StreamYard ↗
Featured Parent & Guardian Leadership Session 📅 Friday, Oct 9 • 6:30 PM – 7:50 PM EST

"What is a 'YN' and How Can I Use AI & Other Tools to Keep My Child From Being a Victim of YN Culture?"

Parents, join leading judges, legal experts, and school counselors for a vital, candid conversation on digital safety, youth culture, and building a practical Family AI Agreement using Google Gemini to keep children safe and empowered.

Featured Keynote Panelists & Speakers
Hon. Judge Michael Pearson, Attorney Marlon Primes, Walida Muktar (School Counselor, Al Huda School), and Marion Williams. Moderator: Talib Karim Muhammad.
⚠️ Notice: Parent registration and workshop attendance are required for student team cash award and gift card eligibility.
Register Parent & Student Required Form →

See What a Hackathon Looks Like

1-Min Hackathon Highlight Reel

Why Mentorship Matters

Energy Pioneer David K. Owens

Why Join the Hackathon?

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Scholarship Portfolio

Build working AI apps and earn verified credentials for college and job applications.

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Cash Prizes & Awards

Compete in live virtual team pitches evaluated by industry judges and corporate sponsors.

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Live Mentorship

Work directly alongside 36+ professional software engineers, energy leaders, and AI pioneers.

3-Day Weekend Schedule

Friday, Oct 9 — Opening, Parent Panel & Hackathon Kickoff
Time (EST) Session / Topic Activity & Content Details Speakers / Leaders Track
6:00 PM – 6:15 PM Introductions & Welcome Virtual lobby check-in, orientation, and welcome remarks for students and families. Marion Williams Welcome & Orientation
6:15 PM – 6:30 PM Opening Keynote Speech & Q&A Keynote Address (5–7 min speech + Q&A): Opening inspiration for students and parents. Talib Karim Muhammad, Candidate for Mayor of Washington, DC Keynote
6:30 PM – 6:35 PM Parent Workshop Opening Welcome, tech check, and overview for parents/guardians. Marion Williams Parent Track
6:35 PM – 6:55 PM Parent Panel: AI Tools for STEM Success Featured Keynote Panel: Hon. Judge Michael Pearson alongside guest sponsor panelists on digital safety and youth mentorship. Judge Michael Pearson, Attorney Marlon Primes, Walida Muktar (School Counselor, Al Huda School) • Moderator: Talib Karim Muhammad Parent Panel
6:55 PM – 7:15 PM Parent Breakouts: AI Family Agreement Interactive Parent Challenge: Parents join breakout rooms using Google Gemini to craft a practical "Family AI Agreement." Parent Leads & Mentors Parent Workshop
7:15 PM – 7:30 PM Parent Speed Peer Coaching Speed peer coaching rounds: Fast-paced exchanges for parents to share strategies on supporting student tech learning at home. Parent Cohort Leads Parent Coaching
7:30 PM – 7:45 PM Parent Live Pitch & Feedback Parent team representatives share 30-second rapid pitches on their AI agreements and key takeaways. Parent Representatives Parent Presentations
7:45 PM – 7:50 PM Parent-to-Youth Hand-Off & Quick Stretch Transition parents and youth into the main auditorium with a quick 5-minute gamer posture reset. Gamer Fitness Lead Transition & Energizer
7:50 PM – 8:05 PM Opening & Live Program Kickoff Executive Welcome: Remarks by Executive Director Talib I. Karim Muhammad, Esq., Board Vice Chair Sharifah Masten, and Marion Williams. Talib I. Karim Muhammad, Esq., Sharifah Masten, Marion Williams Main Kickoff
8:05 PM – 8:25 PM Youth Speed Mentoring Sprint Rotational speed mentoring rounds: Student teams rotate across industry mentors and tech professionals for rapid feedback. Industry Mentors & Tech Professionals Speed Mentoring
8:25 PM – 8:45 PM Challenge Reveal & Rules Briefing Hackathon Prompt: Using AI & No-Code Apps to Eliminate Food Deserts. Full rules, rubric, and Discord safety orientation. Technical Leads Rules & Briefing
8:45 PM – 9:00 PM Team Matchmaking & Discord Icebreakers Student team assignments, mentor pairings, Discord setup, and interactive icebreaker games. Team Leads & Student Cohorts Team Formation
9:00 PM – 9:30 PM Evening Team Coaching & Saturday Game Plan Initial evening team coaching: Teams align with assigned coaches, set Saturday morning milestones, and review project boards. Team Coaches & Student Cohorts Team Coaching
Saturday, Oct 10 — Learn, Design & Build
Time (EST) Session Details Track
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Student Welcome Sprint & Gamer Stretch Workout #1 Energizer
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Industry Session (Drones/Ag-Tech) & AI Prompt Engineering Workshop Technical Workshop
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Saturday Morning Team Coaching Checkpoint Team Coaching
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Team Brainstorming & Feature Mapping Youth Session
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Gamer Posture Reset & Lunch Discord Lounge Meal Break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM No-Code Prototyping Workshop (Glide Apps & Google Sheets) Technical Workshop
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Hackathon Build Session #1: Wireframes & Logic Youth Working
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Saturday Afternoon Speed Mentoring Sprint (Architecture Review & Debugging) Speed Mentoring
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Hackathon Build Session #1: App Construction Youth Working
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Motivational Speaker, Reflection & Dinner Break Meal / Speaker
6:45 PM – 7:15 PM Saturday Evening Team Coaching Strategy Checkpoint Team Coaching
7:15 PM – 10:30 PM Deep-Dive Build Session, Optional Co-Working Lounge & Gaming Youth Working
Sunday, Oct 11 — Pitch, Judge & Awards
Time (EST) Session Details Track
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Day 2 Morning Kickoff & Sprint Briefing Morning Kickoff
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Sunday Morning Team Coaching Checkpoint & Technical Health Check Team Coaching
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Hackathon Build Session #3: Final Prototyping & Lock Final Build
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Cyber Career Panel, Posture Reset & Lunch Showcase Career Panel
1:15 PM – 1:45 PM Pitch & Presentation Coaching Workshop Technical Workshop
1:45 PM – 2:15 PM Sunday Afternoon Speed Mentoring & Mock Pitch Rehearsal (Slide Lock 2:45 PM) Speed Mentoring
3:00 PM – 4:10 PM Live Virtual Pitch Presentations (5-Min Pitch + 2-Min Judge Q&A) Live Broadcast
4:10 PM – 5:00 PM Parent Recognition, Community Awards & Hackathon Closing Ceremony Grand Finale
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Sunday Evening Team Coaching Wrap-Up, Debrief & Internship Next Steps Team Coaching

Event Patrons & Partners

Registration Pathways

Most Popular

Sponsored / Free Pass

$0 Waived
Free access for registered student teams and returning STEM4US! hackathon alumni. (Parents must complete form).
Claim Free Pass

Team Pass Special

$100 / 5 Students
Register a full team of up to 5 students (Only $20/student). Extended discount ends tonight!
Register Team

Pro Mentor / Coach Pass

$0 Fee Waived
For active tech and industry professionals volunteering as Mentors (20-min sprints) or Team Coaches.
Register As Volunteer

VIP Cohort Sponsor

$500+ USD
Sponsor an entire student team cohort and secure prominent brand placement across regional networks.
Sponsor Cohort