Hacktivate Mesa

Hacktivate Mesa header


Hacktivate Mesa 2025 - High School

February 26 - 27
The Post

Participant Flyer(PDF, 120KB)

2025 Theme

Mesa’s Climate Action Plan

Hacktivate Mesa 2025 Event Page

Help shape Mesa’s sustainable future! Student teams will dive into the Mesa’s Climate Action Plan, conducting data-informed analyses and proposing evidence-based activities or policies that directly benefit our community. Focus areas include:

  • Energy
  • Air Quality
  • Heat Mitigation
  • Water Stewardship
  • Materials Management
  • Food Systems

New this year
Teams also have an optional opportunity to propose a youth-led climate action project that could receive up to $5,000 in grant funding through the Mesa Youth Climate Action Fund.

 


|  What is Hacktivate Mesa?

Hacktivate Mesa events and activities engage youth in studying community issues using data-driven approaches. This collaborative initiative between Mesa, local education institutions and the private sector engages youth in civic life and provide Mesa government with a fresh approach to Mesa issues. By understanding the youth viewpoint, cities can positively adjust their programs and services to create a better sense of belonging and produce better outcomes for future engagement. Through data science-driven events, Hacktivate Mesa brings students together to study and analyze data on Mesa’s most challenging issues while also promoting STEM, critical thinking, problem-solving, presentation skills and community involvement.  

Hacktivate Mesa events began in 2019 as an annual 2-day event for high school students. The initiative has grown to include activities throughout the year for students in 8th grade to master’s candidates in Public Administration, Public Policy and Business Analytics programs at each of Arizona’s three public universities.  

The purpose of Hacktivate Mesa is to engage youth in tackling some of the most challenging issues facing our community by:  

  • Drawing on the great young minds in our community and encouraging them to use their creativity and innovate to help us address community challenges in new and unique ways.
  • Introducing students to the use of data to find and share meaning about an issue, formulate questions around the problem and identify solutions.
  • Creating civic-minded individuals inspired to pursue higher education and serve their community.

Hacktivate Mesa operates under the Office for Data & Performance, which guides departments to make data-informed decisions to achieve their public purpose, reach strategic objectives and positively impact Mesa communities.  

Comments or questions? Send us an email at Hacktivate@mesaaz.gov.

 

 


 Light build.png  

How does Hacktivate Mesa work?

  • Participants are grouped into teams and presented with data sets that reflect the status of vital community topics such as homelessness, behavioral/mental health, supporting Mesa’s Climate Action Plan, attracting a talented workforce, and supporting K-12 education outcomes, to name a few.
  • With the mentorship of Mesa staff and volunteers from the business and non-profit sector mentor, teams analyze the data to gain understanding and develop meaningful responses to the problem.
  • After intense data wrangling, analysis and presentation design, teams get the opportunity to present their findings and recommendations to judges including city council members and city management.

Desired outcomes

  • Spark critical thinking about community issues and how data can provide a framework for responding to pressing problems.
  • Develop data analysis, teamwork, critical thinking, presentation, and public speaking skills.
  • Gain an understanding of City government and encourage youth engagement in civic life and public service.
Sponsorship Opportunities(PDF, 299KB)

2024 Winning Teams

Power Puff Girls, from Dobson HS, on the topic of Behavioral Health Crisis(PDF, 402KB)

MVT MVPs, from Mountain View HS, on the topic of 3rd Grade Literacy(PDF, 3MB)

Let's Go H2GO, from Red Mountain HS, on the topic of Water Conservation(PDF, 967KB)

2023 Winning Teams

MVT MVPs, from Mountain View High, on the topic of  Opioids(PDF, 11MB)

RM Going Green, from Red Mountain High, on the topic of Climate(PDF, 1MB)

Speakers for the Trees, from Red Mountain High, on the topic of Climate(PDF, 2MB)

2022 Winning Teams

Computineering, from Red Mountain High School, on the topic of Climate Change(PDF, 455KB)

MVT MVP’s, from Mountain View High School, on the topic of Mental Health(PDF, 970KB)

Big Chillin’, from Westwood High School on the topic of Climate Change(PDF, 2MB)

2020 Winning Teams

Biotech Bunch, from Red Mountain Highschool, on the topic of Transportation & Parking(PDF, 567KB)

RMHS Senior Engineering, from Red Mountain Highschool, on the topic of Transportation & Parking(PDF, 784KB)

Initium Novum, from Red Mountain Highschool, on the topic of Homelessness(PDF, 476KB)

2019 Winning Teams

Hack Rabbits, from Mesa High, on the topic of Opioids(PDF, 790KB)

Initium Novum, from Red Mountain High, on the topic of Opioids(PDF, 689KB)

RMStem, from Red Mountain High, on the topic of Health and Safety in our Community(PDF, 751KB)


Our Partners

CGI logoEnterprise Network Solutions logoFiber-First-logo

Gfiber logoMPS CTE logoVersaterm logo


Image Gallery