Eligibility

DawsHacks is open to students of all skill levels, with a primary focus on Dawson College and other CEGEP students. Beginners are strongly encouraged to participate. Participants may join individually or in teams within the team size limits set by the organizers. All participants must follow the event code of conduct and maintain a respectful environment.

Project and Submission Requirements

Projects must be developed during the hackathon period. You may use existing tools, libraries, or frameworks, but the main work should take place during the event. Each team must maintain a public GitHub repository showing their commits and development progress. Submissions should include a clear README, setup instructions, and a short explanation of the project. Projects should relate to the event theme, though interpretations are intentionally flexible and open-ended.

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded to selected teams based on judging results. Categories may include overall winners, theme-focused awards, or beginner-friendly recognitions depending on participation. The organizing team reserves the right to adjust prize categories to best reflect the projects submitted.

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Projects will be evaluated by mentors, teachers, and invited judges using the following criteria:

• Theme — how well the project connects to and interprets the hackathon theme.

• Creativity — originality of the idea, design, or approach.

• Code — technical effort, structure, and clarity of implementation as demonstrated through the GitHub repository.

Final winners will be selected based on judges’ evaluations and organizer review to ensure a fair and balanced outcome.