The students who quietly disappear
Beacon
A re-engagement system that helps a counselor notice the student who stopped showing up — and reach out in a way that feels like care, not surveillance.
Built in one day by the Track 4 finalist squad, AA 205 · Gemini Canvas
6 absences in a row. Works late grocery shifts; handles morning care for his younger brother.
Send low-pressure textSample data. “Jimmy” is a fictional student the squad created for the demo.
Tap through what the judges saw
It starts with the reason, not the record.
A flagged student arrives with context — the late shifts, the little brother — not just an absence count. The brief asked for a way to catch a student before they disappear; Beacon puts the barrier on the screen first.
Outreach that feels like care.
One tap sends a low-pressure text instead of a summons. The brief's scored question was whether outreach “feels like care or like being watched.” Beacon answers it in the button label.
From one student to the pattern.
Across a caseload, Beacon groups why students are going quiet — work and caretaking, transportation, health — so a counselor can route people to the right help: tutoring, rides, food, counseling.
Different views for different people.
Counselors, teachers, and the student each get their own view. That's the responsible-design question from the brief — an “at risk” label can follow a student, so who sees it matters. Open the app and switch between them yourself.
Readable by everyone who needs it.
A built-in toolbar adjusts text size and contrast, and caseloads export for the people who report on them. Small choices, made by students in a three-hour build.
Opens in Gemini. No account needed to look around; nothing you click is sent anywhere.
Six industries. One day. Everything they built.
On Saturday, September 26, Long Beach City College and iUrban Teen brought students from across the region together for a single day of applied problem-solving. Squads took on a real challenge, used free generative AI tools to build a working prototype, and pitched it before the day was out.
Nobody needed to code. Most arrived without a team. What they needed was to care about a problem enough to spend a day on it — and they did.
The six fights they picked.
Every track opened with a real brief. Tap a card to see the AI angle — and the finalist app that came out of that room. Track 4 took the top prize. The two faded cards were backup briefs that stayed in the drawer.
One region, every industry — students from across Los Angeles County
One day was the start.
Thank you to every student, coach, mentor, judge, and family who spent a Saturday on real problems. For anyone who wants to keep building, here's where to go.
Four-week AI academy
A follow-on academy with TRIO Upward Bound for students who want to take their idea further.
- Oct 10 · Nov 7 · Dec 5 · Jan 23
- 1:00 – 4:00 PM
- Details from LBCC Adult Education
The finalist apps
Every finalist built something you can tap. Open them on your phone — no account needed.
- Winner: Beacon, Track 4 · Education
- Front-end prototypes built in about three hours
- Nothing you click is sent anywhere
Study AI at LBCC
Long Beach City College offers the first dedicated AI degree in the California Community College system — the same program the day's AI mentors came from.
- A.S. in AI for Digital Transformation
- Dual enrollment for high schoolers
- Adult Education pathways
Next year
Want to coach, judge, bring a real problem as a track partner, or sponsor a track? We're already listening.
Email usShare the day
Participants, coaches, and families: send the link to anyone who should see what students built in one day. Squads own their work — iUrban Teen and LBCC may showcase projects to promote future events.
Two coasts of the same coastline.
A Seattle-founded youth STEM program and a Southern California college, running the same play: get students in front of real work, early.
Long Beach City College built the first dedicated AI degree in the California Community College system. The hackathon is hosted at the Trades & Technology Campus, home to the college's career and technical programs.
iUrban Teen has delivered career-focused STEM+Arts programming to students ages 12–18 since 2011, with programs in Washington, Oregon, Texas, and California, and a track record of AI challenge events on college campuses.
After the day.
Who won?
Track 4 · Education took the top prize with Beacon, a re-engagement system for students who quietly stop showing up. Open Beacon ↗ or take the tour above.
How was the winner chosen?
Every squad pitched inside its track, and one finalist per track advanced. Three independent judges scored the six finalists on a published rubric: problem clarity, use of AI, feasibility, responsible design, and the pitch.
Can I see the other finalists?
Yes — the apps page has every finalist app that's been posted. They're front-end prototypes built in about three hours, so buttons change what's on screen but nothing is sent anywhere.
Is the data in the apps real?
No. Squads used made-up people and numbers for their demos. No real student, patient, or customer information was used.
Who owns what students built?
Students own their work. LBCC and iUrban Teen may showcase projects to promote future events.
Where's my completion certificate?
Certificates were handed out at closing. If you missed yours, email LBCC Adult Education at aep@lbcc.edu.
How do I keep building?
The four-week AI academy with TRIO Upward Bound meets Oct 10, Nov 7, Dec 5, and Jan 23, 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Details here.
Will there be another one?
That's the plan. If you'd like to coach, judge, partner on a track, or sponsor, get in touch.