Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) is thrilled to introduce the Philly Codefest: High School Edition 2026.

Since its inception in 2013, Philly Codefest has been a platform for professionals, educators and college students to collaborate and develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges. This year, for the first time, CCI invites high school students in grades 9 through 12 from the Philadelphia area to participate in this exciting offshoot event just for them.

Scheduled for Saturday, February 28, Philly Codefest: High School Edition will be a one-day hackathon held at CCI. The event aims to inspire students through a day of innovation, coding and teamwork. Participants, regardless of their coding experience, will have the opportunity to team up, create projects and compete for prizes.

Throughout the day, Drexel CCI faculty, professional staff, and current students will provide support through workshops, project ideation sessions, mentoring, and judging. This event offers a unique chance for high school students to learn from experts, showcase their skills, and connect with peers who share their passion for technology.

• Social Impact
  Does the project address or solve a real-world problem?
• Creativity & Innovation
  Is this idea unique? If not, does it significantly improve upon existing solutions?
• Functionality
  While we don’t expect fully polished applications, teams should have at least an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) with some working functionality.
• Presentation Quality
  How well did they communicate their idea and its impact?