Mashable and Pearson are teaming up to host a Makeathon with an emphasis on literacy projects. We hope to unite creative minds in the same room to build new products that make learning to read and write more accessible, fun and effective. The rest is up to you! Your project could be a tool, a simple web app, website or data visualization. 

We've teamed up with three literacy partners (Room to Read, World Reader, and 826 National) to find out what issues they face in implementing their programs. We've developed a list of topics and goals based on their feedback, and we ask all participants to use this as a guide in creating their projects.

View list of topics and goals here.

We'll supply the coffe and food to fule you - you'll supply your computer (and any other equipment) and creativity!

If you can't be there, follow the action online with #MashHacks and #ProjectLiteracy.

Eligibility

Eligibility

Entrants must be legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia and 18 years of age or older at the time of registration to enter this Contest.

Employees of Mashable, Sponsor, and their respective parents, affiliates and subsidiaries and agents and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate families (spouse, and parents, children and siblings and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) or persons residing in their households, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate.

Contest is void where prohibited and subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws. Mashable will have the right at its sole discretion to determine whether an entrant is eligible for the Contest.

Mashable may disqualify, at Mashable’s sole discretion, Project Literacy Entries (including, without limitation, content submitted in connection therewith) that (a) are in violation of third party rights or law or regulation, (b) are substantially or materially similar to another Project Literacy Entry already submitted in this Contest or any previous Mashable Hackathon contest, or (c) use inappropriate or explicit language or images, or display content that Contest Entities otherwise find objectionable or inconsistent with any Contest Entity’s brand image or goodwill.

Mashable can accept only those Project Literacy Entries that are completed and submitted as described above and that conform to any technical requirements specified as part of the entry process. Project Literacy Entries that do not comply with the provisions of these Official Contest Rules will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered.

To participate, please register here.

Requirements

  • Web, desktop, mobile and hardware projects are all welcome.
  • Participants are expected to present their final products on site for judging.
  • Individuals and/or teams will be required to release all code via GPL or MIT license (or another open source license) and make code available on Github in order to be eligible to participate.
  • Please use these topics to guide your projects.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$5,995 in prizes
Grand Prize
1 winner

Each winner (or, any winner is a team, each member of the winning team (up to five (5) individuals)) will receive one (1) iPad Air 2 and one (1) $250 gift card.

Second Prize
1 winner

SECOND PRIZES: Each winner (or, any winner is a team, each member of the winning team (up to five (5) individuals)) will receive one (1) $250 gift card.

Third Prize
1 winner

THIRD PRIZES: Each winner (or, any winner is a team, each member of the winning team (up to five (5) individuals)) will receive one (1) $100 gift card.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

How to enter

You can register for the Project Literacy Makethon: Presented by Mashable and Pearson here.

Project Format: Web, desktop, mobile and hardware projects are all welcome. Projects will be judged based on creativity, technical difficulty, polish and usefulness. 

Teams: Teams can range from one to five people. If you don’t have a team, but want to be a part of one, we'll have time in the beginning for pitches and team-building.

Tools/Resources: Guests are required to bring any equipment they wish to use (i.e. laptops, keyboards, etc.). Mashable and Pearson will not be providing these tools.  

Required: Individuals and/or teams will be required to release all code via GPL or MIT license (or another open source license) and make code available on Github in order to be eligible to participate. 

Judges

Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor
Deputy Editor / Mashable

Karissa Bell

Karissa Bell
Apps Reporter / Mashable

Caryn Voskuil

Caryn Voskuil
Education Studio / IDEO

Karine Allouche Salanon

Karine Allouche Salanon
SVP and General Manager / Pearson English Business Solutions

Judging Criteria

  • Innovative Concept
    Is the project concept creative, forward-thinking, innovative and resourceful?
  • Project Execution
    How much of the project was the team able to complete in the time of the Makeathon?
  • Usability
    Is it easy to learn and navigate the content?
  • Aesthetic Design
    Is the data presented in an aesthetic, effective and imaginative way?
  • Gut Reaction
    What was your overall first impression of this project?
  • Project Longevity
    Is this project the start of something bigger? Is there potential for a business venture, an open source project, or Internet virality?
  • Impact
    Is this project immediately useful? Could the correlations the team identified offer immediate consumer/social impact if addressed with your recommendation(s)?
  • Problem Solving
    Does the project solve a real problem in a new and unique way?

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