IATHON
Hackathon on Artificial Intelligence
21-22/02/2020, Lycée Français Saint Benoit, Istanbul
Organized by Saint Benoît High School and the Digital Development and Research Committee (CDRN), the 6th edition of the International Digital Spring (PNI6) took place on February 21st and 22nd, 2020, in partnership with the Embassy of France in Turkey, the National Center for Distance Learning (CNED), the support and pedagogical creation network (CANOPE), and BahçeÅŸehir University (BAU).
Artificial Intelligence and Active Pedagogy were the themes of this edition. These insightful reflections were relevant in both the Turkish-speaking Digital Spring and the French-speaking version, and will undoubtedly contribute to a teaching of excellence. The biggest highlight of this 6th Edition of the PNI was the IATHON, Hackathon on AI, organized among various international Schools of Turkiye.
A pedagogical hackathon centered around the theme of artificial intelligence brought together 10 teams of students from 20 prestigious international high schools including The Robert College, The Armenian High School Getronagan, The American High School of Üsküdar, The Private Jewish High School of Ulus, The French Charles de Gaulle High School, The Saint Joseph High School of Izmir, The Notre Dame de Sion High School, The Sainte Pulchérie High School, The Saint Michel High School and the Francophone Galatasaray High School. Over 28 hours of work on image classification from Friday, February 21st at 9:00 AM to Saturday, February 22nd at 1:00 PM, these teams were guided by mentors from various institutions and companies in the field of AI.
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In partnership with DoorTeknoloji, Google, Bilge Adam, and CANOPE, the 40 students received two high-level training sessions. The first session on Python and machine learning took place on January 11th and 12th, followed by a second session on the Tensorflow machine learning platform on February 8th. This session was led by a machine learning expert from Google Turkey.
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Artificial Intelligence
in Service of the Environment
The environmental theme of the competition was announced on the day of the event, along with the randomly assigned group compositions. Each team consisted of two coders and two presenters. All students had been pre-selected based on a uniform examination established by computer science teachers from partner institutions.
"Almost everyone was talking about pedagogy, digital technology, software, ethics... The opening evening of PNI at the Palais de France brought together 200 people from
all around the world, primarily from Turkey. Mr. Bertrand Buchwalter,
the Consul General, emphasized in his inaugural speech his interest in
this digital pedagogy and approved of these various editions in
support of the educational communities in Turkey and
internationally."
A Twenty Eight Hour
Non-Stop AI Hackathon
During the 28-hour non-stop Hackathon, my team had to find an AI solution on a theme that was announced to them on the day of the competition. To participate in the Hackathon, I first passed a pre-selection stage within my high school, organized by computer teachers. A lot of motivation, little sleep and good collective work paid off and our team won first prize among the 40 participating students. The first prize included a trip to Paris to participate in the Viva Technology fair in order to have a stand there and present his project under the sponsorship of Google.
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The atmosphere during the hackathon was nothing short of electric. Diverse teams, representing a tapestry of cultures and educational backgrounds, converged to brainstorm, code, and present innovative ideas with the potential to reshape the educational landscape. I was privileged to stand shoulder to shoulder with three brilliant teammates who shared an unwavering passion for AI and innovation. As we coded, we wove our intricate AI solution, infusing not only coding prowess but also our collective creativity and unrelenting determination. As presenters, we honed our communication finesse, ensuring that our project's significance resonated profoundly with the judges.
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​The journey was no walk in the park. The ticking clock demanded unwavering focus, boundless dedication, and a determination to overcome the exhaustion that crept in. Endless hours were poured into refining our AI solution, meticulously aligned with the surprise environmental theme unveiled on the competition day. This theme also dictated the formation of teams, each composed of two coders and two presenters. The unity forged within our team and the harmonious collaboration with fellow participants became the cornerstone of our victory.
The pinnacle of our exertions arrived with the announcement of the winners. The sleepless nights, the relentless teamwork, and the spirit of collaboration converged to earn us the coveted first prize among our peers. This victory was more than just a testament to our technical acumen; it was a validation of our capacity to think critically, to innovate ceaselessly, and to thrive under the crucible of pressure.
The grand prize was a gateway to an awe-inspiring opportunity—a journey to Paris, a chance to shine on the international stage of the Viva Technology fair, bolstered by the sponsorship of Google. Jury members including Mr. Fuat BeÈ™er and Mr. Yusuf Sarıgöz, the only two Google machine learning experts in Turkey; Mrs. Mélanie Albaret, Expert in educational robotics for CANOPE in France; Ms.e Elif Oktar, Chief Data Officer for Coca Cola in Turkey; Mr. Halil Aksu, President of Dijitopia and Founder of Turkiye AI; mentioned that behind the success of our team was the fast and efficient functioning of their code, the importance of their idea and its feasibility.Esteemed jurors, leading minds in the realm of machine learning and AI, hailed the effectiveness of our code, the gravity of our idea, and its potential to change the world.
In retrospect, the PNI6 Hackathon wasn't merely a competition; it was a transformative odyssey that illuminated AI's potential to mold education and shape the future. It etched into my soul the significance of collaboration, unwavering dedication, and the uncharted territories of innovation. As I look back on this life-altering journey, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of such an extraordinary event, surrounded by brilliant peers and guided by exceptional mentors. The memory of those intense 28 hours of coding and presenting serves as a reminder of our capacity to harness technology and teamwork to carve a meaningful impact on the world.
The winning team receiving the first prize from the CEO of the main sponsor, Door Teknoloji. From left; Yağız from Üsküdar American High School, Ezgi from Küçük Prens High School, Can from Charles de Gaulle High School and Arda from Saint Michel French High School.