‘Hack-a-thon’ builds school-business ties

Teachers meet with businesses, groups about possible projects

By Amie Johansen

amie@charlescitypress.com

Four school districts were among the 45 entities represented at the Elks Lodge in Charles City on Wednesday for a “Community Hack-a-thon,” which not only developed solutions for businesses and communities, but also built relationships.

The event grew from the school districts of Charles City, New Hampton, Osage and Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock being awarded a STEM BEST — Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers — grant of $25,000 by the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. The purpose of STEM BEST is to create a meaningful and impactful connection between education and business and industry.

Osage teacher Matt Finn explained that the various community participants identified a problem or need for their own business or in the community. These problems or needs were written on whiteboards. Teachers and community members then circled the room speaking with one another about potential solutions and ways students might be involved in resolving the problems or needs.  

Although entities represented varied from automotive to senior citizen care, there was a theme in their needs.

“Marketing, branding and getting people involved,” Charles City High School Principal Josh Johnson said of the most commonly identified needs.

“We’re just generating ideas for our project pool in the fall,” Finn said.

Come fall, students will be presented with the various ideas the community members developed. The students will then find ways to resolve the issues as part of a real-world connection, enabling students to gain applicable life experiences.

“Hack-a-thon” is a concept used by the Iowa BIG program — an initiative-based high school in Cedar Rapids. This project-led program expands students’ ability to interact with actual community needs and help become part of a solution.