Social Good Hackathon: Maximizing Potential @ West Valley College

​Build technology that serves your community.

​The AI for Social Good Hackathon is a one-day event at West Valley College, hosted by Maximizing Potential, the student-run nonprofit founded here on campus.

​Every track is built around a real need identified by a local community organization. You’ll join a team, build a working prototype with AI, and present it to judges, including the partners themselves. The best projects don’t end at demo day: partners get the first look at every prototype built for their track, with an eye toward adopting it after the event.

​The tracks

​Senior Safety, with Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting
Build tools that help seniors recognize, avoid, and report scams and fraud.

​Local Economy, with the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce
Build tools that help local businesses grow, like websites that attract customers or simple payment systems.

​Volunteering, with Kiwanis
Build apps that make it easier for people to find volunteer opportunities, sign up, and show up.

​Prizes

​$1,000 in prizes, sponsored by Maximizing Potential:
🥇 1st place: $500
🥈 2nd place: $300
🥉 3rd place: $200

​Projects are judged on real-world impact and feasibility.

​Who should come?

​The event is free and open to the public: West Valley students, students from nearby community colleges, high school students, and anyone who wants to build with AI for good.

​Register individually and find your team during check-in, or come with a team already formed. Bring a laptop and a willingness to collaborate.

​Schedule

​9:00 – 10:15 AM · Check-in and team matching
10:15 – 10:45 AM · Opening and track introductions
10:45 – 11:45 AM · Panel with our community partners
11:45 AM – 2:15 PM · Build
2:15 – 3:30 PM · Judging
3:30 – 4:05 PM · Winners announced
4:05 – 4:35 PM · Ceremony
4:35 – 5:00 PM · Networking

Snacks and lunch provided!

​The build session is 2.5 hours, so aim for a small, working prototype that solves one problem well.