Israel’s first hackathon for entrepreneurial students grades 4-6

1. Israel’s First Hackathon for Entrepreneurial Students Grades 4-6 Supported by the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program and including the following elementary schools:

2. What is a Hackathon? A Hackathon is a combination of the two words: Hacker + Marathon It is an event during which the entrepreneurs are “locked up” for X hours of days, brainstorm ideas for ventures in the area of the hackathon theme, test them, plan and prepare a prototype. 4 primary schools stepped up to the Hackathon challenge “Kaplan” school, led by the principal Tali Toledano, which teaches entrepreneurship. “Yad Mordechai” school, led by the principal Avivit Misterial, which promotes innovative entrepreneurial thinking. “HaShalom” school, led by Sigal Bar, vice principal, who teaches the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program to a group of gifted students. “Alumot” school in Tel Aviv, led by the principal Anat Blair, which teaches entrepreneurship.

3. First Part of the Hackathon The Hackathon took place over three meetings, each hosted by a different school. The first meeting was hosted by “Kaplan” school in Petah Tikva.

4. The Plenary Hall The students gathered in the plenary hall at tables which were divided by venture topics.

5. Introductions Among the Students The students who arrived from the four different schools got to know one another through an entrepreneurship-themed game of Truth or Dare.

6. Sample Introduction Questions After introductions, the entrepreneurship students shared information about ventures they started at their schools. The purpose was to enrich venture ideas in all participating schools and create a venture “arsenal”

7. Thinking of Venture Ideas The young entrepreneurs spread to all corners of the school and brainstormed ideas for ventures in the topic they chose.

8. Rating the Ideas The students answered 3 questions about each venture by raising their hands, and so sorted through the ideas and were left with 3.

9. Reconvening in the Plenary Hall The many ideas were written on posters which were hung in the plenary hall, filling the students with pride.

10. Wrapping up the First Meeting with a Picture The entrepreneurial children received certificates for their participation in the hackathon, and took pictures in front of the venture ideas.

11. “Yad Mordechai” school Hosts the Second Hackathon Meeting The first Hackathon meeting ended with the students choosing 3 ideas for ventures in each field:  Technology Ventures  Community Ventures  School Ventures  “The Other is Me” Ventures  Ecological/Environmental Ventures The goal in the second part of the hackathon was to select an idea for one venture in each field, create an action plan to execute the venture, a marketing strategy and realization method.

12. Reception in the Plenary Hall The young entrepreneurs gathered in the school’s inner courtyard, separated according to the ventures on which they worked in the first meeting. Each student received a folder with the schedule, a business card for an ice-breaker game, and material to use throughout the day.

13. Ice-Breaker Game The students played an ice-breaker to start the day. Each student filled out three entrepreneur cards about themselves, and then the students looked for traits they had in common with other students, with whom they exchanged cards.

14. Teamwork The entrepreneurs from the four schools split up into groups according to the venture topic they selected. Each group was asked to bring down the number of ideas to just one. Together they thought of criteria that will help them choose the best ideas:

15. Preparing an Action Plan to Execute the Venture After each group chose an idea, the students divided the work between them: Some prepared the action plan to execute the venture, some prepared a marketing strategy and some prepared a presentation/model/film/article illustrate the project.

16. Presenting the Ventures A model for a triple trash can A game for blind people using braille A video illustrates the venture Presenting the venture through play A photographic article Presenting the venture with an article The young entrepreneurs presented their ideas for ventures in different ways.

17. Wrapping up the Second Part of the Hackathon The young entrepreneurs received a gift from “Yad Mordechai” school - an entrepreneurship notebook

18. Planning the Third Part of the Hackathon The accompanying teachers from the four schools summarize the event and plan the third part of the first Israel Hackathon for entrepreneurial students.

19. The Third Part of the Hackathon “HaShalom” school in Mevaseret Zion hosted the third meeting in the Hackathon.

20. The Plenary Hall The entrepreneurial students gathered in the plenary, where they saw the day’s plan:

21. Social Game- Team Work The day started with a fun and challenging game where the young entrepreneurs worked in teams.

22. Creating Business Cards The children’s goal of this meeting was to make a group business card that defines them. The students split up into groups and each group made a card using art supplies that were provided.

23. The Business Cards The business cards adorned the exhibition in which the ventures developed by the students were shown after the 2nd part of the Hackathon

24. Venture Exhibition All of the ventures that were developed, responded to a need according to the area chosen during the two previous Hackathon meetings. The venture: Organizer- to keep school supplies used in the classroom organized. The young entrepreneurs: Students in fifth grade at "Hashalom” elementary school

25. Venture Exhibition The venture: Dumishush - a box game in the style of the familiar domino suited for the blinds The young entrepreneurs: Students in fifth grade at "Hashalom" school

26. Venture Exhibition The venture: Who am I? An introductory game for blind kids The young entrepreneurs: Students in the sixth grade at "Yad Mordechai" school

27. Venture Exhibition The venture: "BottleKeeper"- a bottle keeper The young entrepreneurs: Students in grades four to five at "Yad Mordechai" school

28. Venture Exhibition The venture: Galgaldli - Wheel bucket- a bucket with wheels and a handle for the user’s convenience. The young entrepreneurs: Students in grades four to six at "Kaplan" school

29. Venture Exhibition The venture: I wrote, I solved, I succeeded - a math game for blind kids The young entrepreneurs: Students in grades four to six at "Kaplan" school in

30. Venture Exhibition The venture: Personalized pencil case – With pockets that can be changed The young entrepreneurs: Students in grades four to six at "Kaplan" school

31. Venture Exhibition The venture: Three bins trash -"Tri-Bin" - a trash can divided into three parts that will stand on student’s desks. The young entrepreneurs: Students in grades four to six at "Kaplan" school

32. Venture Exhibition The venture: Charity box - collecting school supplies found around the school to help children who need them. The young entrepreneurs: The students of 4th-6th grades in "Alumot" school

33. Venture Exhibition The venture: Guess what - a game for blind and seeing people, with braille The young entrepreneurs: The students of 4th-6th grades in "Alumot" school

34. Venture Presentations Members of the groups presented the ventures in front of all of the young entrepreneurs and the school faculty.

35. Summary of the first Hackathon for entrepreneurial students in Israel The young entrepreneurs: It was fun, we made new friends, learned to develop products, identify needs, and we executed ventures. The educational team summarized: We had three wonderful meetings, each one was different from the last. During the meetings: You met, you thought, you discussed, you created, and all together, working as a team. It was a great pleasure to be your partners, you are children who are able to dream, aspire, initiate and create new procedures.

36. Read more about the first Israeli Hackathon for 4th-6th Entrepreneurship for Kids graders at the Program website.