Student events
free, and we bus you there
Day of Compute and our hackathons put high school students on a college campus to build something real. Both are free, and everything is provided.
Day of Compute
In partnership with Phoenix College
A free day on a college campus where students rotate through AI, circuits and electricity, robotics and web development, taught by industry professionals and college mentors. Held during CSEdWeek.
140+ students from the Phoenix Union High School District attended the 2025 event, the second annual.
- Cost
- Free. Computers and lunch are provided.
- Getting there
- District buses collect students from their own school and return them there. Students attend school as normal that morning; parents do not need to drive them.
- What to bring
- Nothing. Everything is provided.
- Who it is for
- High school students, through their district.
- Where
- Phoenix College, 1202 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013
Hackathons
At the Maricopa IT Institute, Phoenix College
Students learn the basics of programming by building something real, and leave with a working game or app. Workshops run alongside on careers in software engineering, computer engineering, AI and data science.
Shortened from the usual 24 to 48 hours to 12, so the experience is a college one without the all-nighter.
- Cost
- Free. Computers, food and drinks are provided.
- Overnight
- Students are not required to stay awake. Mentors and teachers are alert throughout, and students sleep in short periods if they want to.
- Supervision
- Phoenix College and Coding in Color staff oversee all students and activities. Security is at the main entrance, which is the only way into the building.
- Chaperoning
- Parents are not required to attend. It runs like a student-government lock-in: everyone stays in one area with mentors present. Parents who want to volunteer are welcome.
- Side quests
- Short extra challenges run alongside the main project, and prizes go to the best ideas at the end.
- Where
- Maricopa IT Institute at Phoenix College, 640 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Dates are announced when they are set
These run once or twice a year and fill through school districts. If you are a parent or a student, Instagram is where dates go up first. If you are a teacher or a district and want your students on the bus, email us and we will get you on the list.