Online Platforms
Participating students will use Devpost (devpost.com) to register their team and submit their project, and Discord to communicate with teammates, mentors, and organizers. Both platforms require account creation. Students must use a valid email address. USAII® does not operate these platforms and cannot be held responsible for their terms of service or data practices.
Team Collaboration
Students participate in teams of 2–5. Teams may include members from different schools or countries. All team coordination occurs online via Discord and Devpost.
Mentor Interaction
Volunteer industry mentors provide guidance to student teams during the hackathon window. All mentor-student interaction takes place in designated official channels within the USAII® Discord server. Mentors are bound by a Code of Conduct and are prohibited from initiating private contact with students.
Content Submission
Teams will submit a project description, design responses, and a 3–5 minute pitch video demonstrating their AI solution. Video content is submitted through Devpost and may be viewed by judges, mentors, and USAII® staff.
Time Commitment
The High School Track build window is June 14–21, 2026. The qualifier (AI Thinking Readiness Assessment) takes place June 7–10 and takes approximately 10–15 minutes. Total active participation time varies by team, but is typically 10–30 hours across the build week.
Prizes & Recognition
Winning teams in the High School Track are eligible for cash prizes (up to $2,500 for Grand Prize) and USAII® AI Certification Scholarships. Prize eligibility requires compliance with all event rules.
Data Collection & Privacy
USAII® collects student information (name, email, school, country, and project submission) for the purposes of administering the hackathon, communicating event updates, and issuing prizes and certificates. USAII® does not sell or share student personal information with third parties for commercial purposes.
- Student names and school affiliations may appear in event communications, winner announcements, or the event program.
- Pitch videos submitted on Devpost may be publicly viewable depending on the student's Devpost settings.
- USAII® may share anonymized, aggregate participation data for educational research or reporting purposes.
- Students may request removal of their information by contacting aihackathon@usaii.org after the event.
Parental Consent & Acknowledgments
I, the undersigned parent or legal guardian confirms and agrees to the following:
- I confirm that my child is between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time of the event.
- I have read and understood the event description and what participation involves as described in this form.
- I consent to my child creating accounts on Devpost and Discord for the purposes of this hackathon.
- I consent to my child interacting online with teammates, volunteer mentors, and USAII® staff within the designated platforms as described above.
- I consent to my child submitting a project — including a pitch video — through Devpost as part of the hackathon.
- I consent to USAII® collecting and using my child’s information as described in Part 4 of this form.
- I understand that my child’s participation is voluntary and that they may withdraw at any time without penalty.
- I understand that USAII® is not responsible for the independent terms of service or data practices of third-party platforms (Devpost, Discord).
- I agree to ensure my child understands and complies with the hackathon’s rules, including prohibitions on plagiarism, harmful content, and misrepresentation.
- I understand that USAII® may wish to feature student work — including project descriptions, team names, and pitch videos — in promotional materials, social media posts, or future event documentation.
- I consent to USAII® featuring my child’s project description, team name, and/or submitted pitch video in USAII® promotional or educational materials related to this hackathon.