Hackathons are intense, fast-paced events that bring together people to solve problems and showcase their creativity. Organizing one is no easy feat. As part of the leadership team for HackFRee 2025, I had the opportunity to help plan, organize, and execute one. In this post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of how we made HackFRee 2025 a reality, focusing on the planning and organization process, my role, and the challenges we had to overcome.
The Purpose of HackFRee 2025
HackFRee 2025 was a chance for students to explore coding and problem-solving in a fun, competitive, and supportive environment. The event was designed to help participants sharpen their skills, work with others, and learn from mentors. As someone who has participated HackFRee and won before, I understood the importance of providing a platform for students to showcase their abilities and push their limits.
Our hackathon was in-person, held from 9 a.m. to midnight (a more manageable schedule compared to the previous 24-hour format). The day was packed with challenges, bootcamps, mini-games, workshops, and opportunities to learn and grow. As one of the organizers, I was deeply involved in all aspects of the event, from planning to execution.
My Role in HackFRee 2025
As a mentor and organizer, I had a hand in almost every part of the hackathon. One of my main responsibilities was leading the app development bootcamp, which included three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. I wanted to make sure participants of all skill levels had a chance to learn and develop their skills. Planning and leading this bootcamp was one of the highlights of my experience, as it allowed me to connect with the participants and share my knowledge.
In addition to leading the bootcamp, I also had the honor of being one of the two speakers for the opening ceremony. This was a big responsibility, as I had to engage the participants, set the tone for the day, and explain the event’s structure. I spent a lot of time preparing slides and practicing my speech to ensure the opening was both informative and exciting.
On top of all that, I helped manage the raffle prize process, which was no small task. I created a system using Google Forms and Sheets where participants could select their preferred prize categories. During the event, I was in charge of organizing the raffle list and ensuring everything was sorted correctly. It was a lot of logistics, but it kept things running smoothly.
Event Logistics and Teamwork
HackFRee 2025 wasn’t something any one person could have pulled off alone. It was a true team effort. My team was made up of many individuals who took on different responsibilities to make the event a success. We self-assigned tasks, with some focusing on outreach and promotion, others on mentorship, and others on technical aspects.
One of the main challenges we faced was dividing responsibilities. Not everyone contributed as much as we expected, which caused some tension at times. But we made it work. We regularly checked in with each other, stayed flexible with task assignments, and ensured we had enough people in each area to make the event happen. Even though it wasn’t always easy, we managed to pull everything together in time.
To ensure maximum participation, we made sure to advertise HackFRee 2025 wherever possible. Posters were put up around the school, and we made announcements to parents whenever they visited. We also used district media to get the word out. The goal was to make sure every student who was interested had the chance to join in.
Collaborating with Mentors and External Partners
One of the most rewarding aspects of HackFRee 2025 was the mentor involvement. We made sure the leadership team had a mix of skills in different programming languages. This way, when students had questions, we were able to quickly match them with the right person who could help. It was a good process, with mentors providing support in Python, Java, and other coding languages.
We also had a dedicated team member who handled sponsorships. There was a document outlining the benefits of sponsoring the hackathon and that was used to reach out to potential sponsors. While we didn’t have any exceptionally huge external partners, the support we got from local organizations, companies, and the school district was crucial for covering the event’s costs.
Overcoming Challenges in Planning
Of course, no event is without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles was making sure everyone was on the same page. As I mentioned, we had some issues with task division, which caused a bit of tension early on. However, we overcame this by communicating regularly and staying flexible in our approach. We also made sure to check in with each other frequently to avoid misunderstandings. By staying adaptable, we were able to handle whatever came our way.
What I Learned from the Planning Process
Planning HackFRee 2025 taught me a lot about teamwork, communication, and logistics. While we had our challenges, we worked through them by collaborating and supporting each other. It was a rewarding experience to see everything come together and to be a part of something that had such a positive impact on students.
Looking Ahead: Part 2 – The Event and Execution
In the next part of this series, I’ll dive into what actually happened during HackFRee 2025: how the event kicked off, the challenges participants faced, and how we kept everyone engaged and supported throughout the day. Stay tuned for more on the event’s structure, participant engagement, and my role on the day of the hackathon!
About the Author:
I'm Jophy Lin, a high school junior and researcher. I blog about a variety of topics, such as STEM research, competitions, shows, and my experiences in the scientific community. If you’re interested in research tips, competition insights, drama reviews, personal reflections on STEM opportunities, and other related topics, subscribe to my newsletter to stay updated!
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