Participant Recruitment¶

Getting students to register is different from getting students to show up. This guide covers both — and specifically addresses the challenge at schools where CS isn't already popular.

Target problem: You're at a school where the CS club has 8 members, most students don't see themselves as "coders," and attendance at any optional event is historically low.

The three recruitment problems¶

Most guides assume you're fighting for attention in a space with too many events. At many schools, the problem is different:

Students don't think hackathons are for them — "I'm not a programmer" kills interest before it starts
Registration ≠ attendance — 40–60% of registered students may not show up
The first event has no social proof — nobody can say "my friend went last year and it was great"

Each problem has a different solution.

Problem 1: Broadening who registers¶

Reframe the event¶

"Hackathon" signals coding competition to most people. You don't have to call it that.

Options that have worked at schools without CS culture: - Build Day — broad, implies making something - Innovation Jam — sounds less technical - [SCHOOL NAME] Builds — personalized, lower stakes - Tech Challenge — signals skills contest, not pure coding

Whatever you call it, your pitch needs to answer: "What can I build if I don't know how to code?"

Good answers to have ready: - "You can build a website — there are tutorials and mentors to help" - "You can design the app and let a teammate handle the code" - "You can build a presentation deck that solves a real community problem" - "Many winning projects are built by teams where not everyone codes"

Target non-CS students explicitly¶

Most hackathon announcements go to CS classes and coding clubs. Expand to:

Art/design students — hackathons need designers; UI is a judging category
Business/economics students — impact and pitch skills matter for the Impact judging category
Science classes — frame it as "build a tool for a science problem you care about"
General announcements — morning announcements, lunch table flyers, hallway posters

The pitch to non-coders: "You don't need to code. You need to show up with an idea and be willing to learn something in one day."

Use teachers as amplifiers¶

One teacher mentioning an event to a class of 25 is worth more than 10 social media posts. Approach teachers directly:

Ask them to make a 60-second announcement in class
Offer to send a one-paragraph blurb they can read or post on their class page
For extra leverage: ask if any class credit, extra credit, or a learning journal entry could be tied to attending
Be explicit that students don't need prior coding experience

Teachers most likely to say yes: CS, robotics, art/design, entrepreneurship, science teachers who run project-based units.

Problem 2: Converting registrations to attendees¶

Registration is an intention signal, not a commitment. Expect 40–60% no-show rate for a first-time event, especially if it's optional and on a weekend.

The confirmation sequence¶

Send 3 emails/messages after registration:

Message 1 — immediately after registration:

Thanks for signing up for [EVENT NAME]! You're in. The event is [DATE] at [LOCATION]. We'll send you details the week before. Questions? Reply to this email.

Message 2 — 1 week out:

[EVENT NAME] is one week away. Here's what you need to know: [DATE, TIME, LOCATION, what to bring]. Teams are forming — if you don't have one yet, show up solo and we'll match you. Food is provided.

Message 3 — 2 days out:

Final reminder: [EVENT NAME] is [DAY]. Doors open at [TIME]. Here's the address: [LOCATION]. We have [NUMBER] teams signed up. This is going to be good. See you there.

Key elements in every message: date, time, location, food confirmation. Free food removes one of the most common "I'll skip it" rationalizations.

Make it feel hard to miss¶

Peer pressure is your friend: Encourage registered students to recruit one friend ("bring a teammate")
Teacher follow-up: Ask teachers who made announcements to check in with students who said they were going
Day-of reminder: Send a text or message the morning of the event: "Doors open in 2 hours. See you there."

Registration buffer¶

Over-recruit intentionally. If you want 40 attendees: - Aim for 60–70 registrations - Build in 15% same-day drop-off - Have snacks and activities ready for people who arrive in the first 30 minutes while others trickle in

The first event is the hardest. The second is much easier if you document the first well.

What to capture during the event¶

Photos of teams working (not just awards) — photos of people being absorbed in their work are the best recruitment tool
Photos of the winning projects with the team holding their prize
Short quotes from participants: "I'd never written code before today and I built a web app." One real quote beats 10 promotional posts.
A group photo at the end — social media gold

Where to use it¶

Instagram / school social accounts: post within 24 hours while it's fresh
School newsletter or morning announcements: "Students built [X] projects at the first [EVENT NAME] last Saturday"
Your own GitHub repo (this one): file the adoption tracking issue — helps other organizers see real examples

The follow-up survey¶

Send a 3-question Google Form within 48 hours: 1. Would you come to the next one? (Yes / Maybe / No) 2. What was the best part? 3. What should we change?

The "yes" responses are your founding community for the next event. Follow up with them personally.

Minimum viable attendance¶

For a hackathon to feel like a hackathon, you need at least 4 teams (so there are real winners, not just participants). That means at least 8–12 people minimum.

If you're worried about hitting that number: - Reach out to partner schools, community centers, or youth coding programs in your area - Open registration to students from other schools (check with your admin first) - Consider combining with another event: "robotics showcase + hackathon" at the same venue doubles your draw

Quick reference: Recruitment by week¶

Week	Action
7	Announce to CS/robotics/math clubs. Open registration.
6	Announce to the whole school. Ask 3–5 teachers to mention it in class.
5	Post on social media. Share with any partner organizations.
4	Check headcount. If below target, activate teacher follow-ups and peer outreach.
3	Send participant info email with all logistics.
1	Send final reminder with date/time/location/food confirmation.
Day before	Send morning-of reminder.

Part of the Equity Pack. See also: 8-Week Checklist