Hey leaders👋
(FYI: You're receiving this email because you're a club leader or in the process of becoming one.)
If we haven't met yet, I'm Jared! I just joined Hack Club HQ to do everything I can to help you and your Hack Clubs this fall :D
It's been an amazing second week at HQ meeting so many of you. Please reply to this email to set up a call if you would like to chat!
Welcome to Our New Leaders!
🐶 Akul from United Arab Emirates
🐱 Louis from Malaysia
🐹 Thien from Texas
🐰 Arjun from Ireland
🦊 Bryan from Puerto Rico
🐻 Joseph from Washington
🐼 Jujhar from Canada
🐻❄️ Alejandro & Felipe from Florida
🐨 Camden from Tennessee
🐯 Sahand from Iran
🦁 Vihaan from India
🐮 Rutviij from Pennsylvania
🐷 Chase from Virginia
🐸 Mohammad from Connecticut
🐵 Caleb from Virginia
🐶 Theo from California
🐱 Ankit from North Carolina
🐹 Dilnaz from Kazakhstan
🐰 Surendar from United Kingdom
🦊 Teddy & Ben from Illinois
🐻 Bao & Akshat from California
🐼 Neha from California
🐻❄️ Muhammad from Pakistan
🐨 Morgan & Jacky from Canada
🐯 Ari and Edward from Canada
Here I am with Ari and Edward!
Back to School
Many leaders are returning to school to begin the 2024-25' school year! This is a great time to be opening the doors to your club and try recruiting new members!
Great First Meeting Activities
☕ Hackaccino
"Can I get one hacka..... sorry, a frappuccino please?"
-Me ordering at a coffeeshop
Earn frappuccinos with your club! All your members have to do is make a website with A-Frame. It is a beginner friendly way to introduce anyone to 3D web design. Projects can range from building your own neighborhood to building the solar system! For every website submitted, you get a grant from HCB to buy them a free frap! More info HERE.
🧋 Boba Drops
As someone new to Hack Club, this was where I started! It includes a great tutorial on web design that even an old man like me was able to follow. Whether you go with this tutorial or make your own website, host them to GitHub for free and receive $5 for a Boba Tea! Check this activity out HERE.
These are just recommendations.
You're the leader of your club! You may choose to go a different direction, which is great! We just recommend you plan your first meetings so participants leave with a feeling of accomplishment or fun!
Advertise and Promote Your Club
New Boba Drop posters available. Reply to this email or message me on Slack to order!
Spotlight
Tales from the Trail
I want to give a shout out to one of the neatest things I've seen recently. Esteemed Hack Club Leader, Estella, went on an adventure with other Hack Clubbers. I could describe it myself, but I wouldn't do any better than the author:
"From July 11th to July 20th, 2024, I went on a life-changing journey along the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2650 mile long trail from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. Over a week, I hiked a total of 30 miles with 39 other teenage hackers from 9 countries and 15 states. The Trail was organized by Hack Club, a community of teenage makers and creators and it was led by Thomas and Nila. We built PCBs to use on the Trail. This handcrafted book is a collection of the fun, struggles, friendships, and everything in between that we encountered along the way. Enjoy!" - Estella
View the book here:
Tales from the Trail
Meet Lambert Hack Club
They just had their first meeting! They spent a lot of time organizing amazing slides for their meeting. Here's a couple examples:
Meet ASTRA
They just had their first meeting over pizza.
Meet Youth Code Camp
They just hosted ZacodeCraft - a fun pizza party for 17 coders to get together and celebrate projects they've been working on in their community!
Building more Hack Clubs in Singapore
-Zeyu (Peter) Yao
Hey!
I'm Peter.
*Me at the Summit 2024 @ San Francisco*
(see me standing next to Tom Preston-Werner there? I felt very cool for a second.)
I'm a 16-year-old club leader from Singapore, and I run a Hack Club at Stamford American International School.
When I first walked into high school as a wide-eyed Grade 9 student, I had no idea I'd soon be juggling more lines of code than hours of sleep (author's note: please get 9 hours of sleep - you won't regret it). The SAIS Hack Club, which started as a wild idea between homework sessions and jazz band practice and now with over 40 members, quickly transformed into my passion project, my haven, and sometimes, my chaos.
Against all odds, we thrived. We managed to secure over $2000 in funding, which, if you ask me, felt like an endless supply of pizza (author's note: because let's be honest, Hack Club runs on boba and pizza). Every week, we hacked away with our projects for one hour, innovating and sometimes breaking things, but always learning and growing (author's note: mostly breaking things). From coding challenges to building mini-games, and even prototyping solutions for real-world problems, our workshops became a sandbox for creativity.
*Partial executive team, partial shenanigans conductors*
Conducting weekly workshops was my way of giving back. Each week, I taught front-end development, web programming, and other computer science skills to club members and watched as curiosity turned into capability. We dabbled in JavaScript, explored the ins and outs of HTML/CSS, and even took a detour into Python for those keen on data science. I learned that teaching is the best way to learn, and my members constantly surprised me with their creativity and resilience.
*Hack Club at BuildingBloCS 2023 booth*
But it wasn't just about technical skills. We also delved into discussions on the ethics of AI, the future of blockchain, and how technology can drive social change. By the end of it, it wasn't just about the code; it was about proving that innovation isn't reserved for the "adults."
*Geekcamp 2023*
My role didn't just stop at the school gates. Being part of the global Hack Club community meant I got to extend my influence and connect with brilliant minds from across the globe. The Summit in San Francisco this February was a turning point. Being invited to serve as a panel leader on diversity and inclusion was an honor. It was a room full of energy, ideas, and, most importantly, hope. Hope that young leaders can change the world, one line of code at a time (author's note: and maybe a few memes along the way).
The Hack Club Leaders' Summit wasn't just a conference; it was a melting pot of ideas. I shared the stage with incredible minds, discussing challenges like how to make tech more accessible to underrepresented communities. We brainstormed initiatives, shared success stories, and even planned cross-continental collaborations. (P.S. shoutout to Vivian, Brianna, and Keru for being my awesome teammates! I'm building Orpheogotchi as a full-fledged app soon... y'all should be the first to try it!)
*Zach's speed at the Leaders' Summit 2024*
Now that you have gotten to know me, let's get started. I have a lot to share about my journey as a Hack Club leader, but I'll start with some of the most important things I've learned:
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If there's one thing I've learned from leading a Hack Club, it's that chaos is something to embrace. Innovation often comes from the unexpected, from the moments when things don't go as planned. Instead of shying away from the messiness of creativity, dive into it. Let those moments of uncertainty fuel your passion to solve problems and think outside the box. After all, sometimes the best ideas come from trying to fix something that broke during a hackathon.
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Coding isn't just about making things work; it's about making things meaningful. Whenever you're building something, ask yourself why it matters. Is it solving a real problem? Is it helping someone in some way? Purpose-driven projects not only resonate more with others but also keep you motivated when the going gets tough. This is especially important when you're leading others – inspire your team with a shared vision that goes beyond just completing a task.
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One of the most effective ways to solidify your knowledge is to teach it. When you explain concepts to others, you reinforce your understanding and often gain new insights. Plus, sharing knowledge creates a cycle of learning that benefits everyone involved. Whether it's through workshops, mentoring, or just informal conversations, make teaching a habit. It's a powerful way to grow both individually and as a community.
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Community is what drives real progress. It's easy to get caught up in the competitive nature of technology, but encouraging a culture of sharing, whether it's code, ideas, or even just experiences, always leads to stronger ideas and more impactful projects.
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No matter how much you achieve, there's always more to learn. Stay curious, and don't be afraid to admit when you don't know something. Humility opens doors to new opportunities and connections, as people are more willing to help you grow when you're honest about your knowledge gaps. Curiosity, on the other hand, keeps you moving forward, exploring new technologies, and challenging your assumptions.
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While it's great to be passionate about what you do, remember that burnout is real. You can't pour from an empty cup. Make time for rest and recharge, even when the temptation is to keep pushing forward. Creativity flourishes when you give your mind space to breathe. Find a balance that allows you to pursue your goals without sacrificing your well-being.
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Finally, whether you're leading a club, a team, or just a project, empathy is key. Understand the needs, struggles, and aspirations of those around you. Leadership isn't just about making decisions; it's about fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. When people know that you care about them as individuals, they're more likely to be motivated and committed to the collective vision.
Reflecting on my journey, it's funny how what started as a small initiative in my school turned into something much bigger. Organizing BuildingBloCS 2024 was another milestone. It was the first time I got to see the impact of my work on a larger scale, as students from across Singapore came together to participate in our AI-themed hackathons. Featuring Dr. He Ruimin, Singapore's Chief AI Officer, in a fireside chat was surreal, but what truly made it special was seeing students from different schools, different backgrounds, all united by their passion for technology.
*BuildingBloCS 2024*
The success of BuildingBloCS 2024 wasn't just a win for me; it was a win for the entire Hack Club community in Singapore. It showed that we could create platforms that inspire and empower young innovators. And yes, seeing three new Hack Clubs sprout up as a result of our efforts was the cherry on top.
So here I am, still a bit wide-eyed but now with a lot more experience and a ton of stories. Leading the SAIS Hack Club has been a rollercoaster, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. To anyone thinking of starting something new, especially if it seems a bit wild – do it. The chaos is worth it, and the creativity it unleashes is unparalleled.
Upcoming AMA
Trina Spear is the co-founder and co-CEO of FIGS, alongside Heather Hasson (a future AMA guest? 👀). They started off the company by selling scrubs in hospital parking lots to building a company worth almost $1 Billion and ranking #21 on the Inc. Magazine's 5000 fastest growing companies in 2018.
Read more about her in her interview with Entrepreneur - she shares some pretty great insights into how she co-built the business
Bonus Story from Jared
Ok, story time. Since school is starting, many of you are going to see new faces in your clubs. For me as a teacher, this was always an anxiety riddled time. I would stress all morning thinking about if I was prepared enough, wondering if they'll accept me, and hoping I don't embarrass myself. With that said, here's an example of me blundering my way through a first day:
Here I am in Seattle. A 26 year old high school history teacher who barely knows what they're doing. I was assigned to teach this small group American History class of 11th graders. I planned the best I could. A mix of ice breakers and hands on activities to have a 'fun' first day. All the tips I learned in college were being used, so this plan was perfect. What could go wrong?
Well, only one student (out of 4) showed up for class. Ok, Jared, you got this. 😅 I glance at my ice breaker activities... and all of them were for a group of three or more. No problem, let's just move on to one of the planned activities! Oh wait, those also need a group. So here I am: with one student and a whole toolbox of useless group activities. I began sweating waterfalls. The question "what am I going to do" followed by "I have NO idea" kept flashing through my mind.
The first thing I do is introduce myself and see if we can get to know each other by just talking. Well, after I finished saying my name and a little about myself, they come back with only their name. That's it. Nothing else to run with. I start floundering. This is when I do the only thing my big mouth is good for, babbling. In an effort to fill the awful silence, I rambled through historical facts. Obviously this didn't get them to talk more and the quietness began pushing my nerves into overdrive. I unconsciously began raising my voice to a scream. The rest of class was me shouting history at a single high school student who began looking increasingly concerned as time went on. Finally it was all put to an end when another student walked by and asked why I was yelling at a student.
That's it from me for now! Tell me what's new with you and your club. Message me on Slack! - @Jared
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Jared Senesac
Club Operations Lead, Hack Club
jared@hackclub.com
