Calling all Young Coders (Ages 7-18)! 👋

ARE YOU READY? It’s time to let your coding skills shine in our annual International Coding Showcase 2023! 🌟 This year, we’re bringing it to the next level – We’re challenging all participants to make a difference in shaping our world today! 🌍

This year’s theme focuses on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, where students will work on creating cutting-edge and revolutionary projects that are sure to make a difference in our communities.

 
 

Innovate, code, and stand a chance to win the Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze trophy or medal! 🏅🏆

ICS 2023 Prize Categories

ALL participants are guaranteed a certificate! 🏅🏆

Selected Top Coders will even be featured on our social media and blog!

 

🌟 Are you ready to show the world what you’ve got? 🌟

 

Our showcase has 3 categories and is open to all students ages 7 to 18 who can use the platforms listed below. Participants must submit a project of choice and a video recording.

 

JUNIOR CATEGORY

Ages 7-9 (Born in the year 2014-2016)

Accepted platform(s):
Scratch

Any experience level

SENIOR CATEGORY

Ages 10-12 (Born in the year 2011-2013)

Accepted platform(s):
Scratch, App Inventor, Python

Any experience level

MASTER CATEGORY

Ages 13-18 (Born in the year 2005-2010)

Accepted platform(s):
Python, HTML/CSS/Javascript

Any experience level

🌍 Our theme for 2023 is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals! 🌍

 

Students are required to create original projects that address at least one of the 4 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) listed below.

 

SDG 3
Good Health And Well-being

SDG 4
Quality Education

SDG 14
Life Below Water

SDG 15
Life On Land

 

Registration Deadline
3 December 2023,
JST 1800 / SGT 1900

Project Submission Deadline
7 January 2024,
JST 1800 / SGT 1900

Results Release
28 February 2024,
JST 1000 / SGT 1100

 

🤩 Innovate, Code, Win! 🤩

 

We want to nurture a community of like-minded coders, who come together to ideate and brainstorm solutions to real-world problems around us! 🌍 We would love to see your innovative ideas come to life through code and be showcased to the world through this platform. 💪

Selected recipients will get their projects featured on Coding Lab’s website and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and YouTube)!

Participation Fees: SGD $65

Register here!

 

 

Requirements

 
  1. Open to all Coding Lab and non-Coding Lab students in 3 categories.
  2. Participant has to submit a video presentation and project that addresses at least 1 of the 4 UN Sustainable Development Goals listed above.
    • The video has to be a minimum of 1 minute and should not exceed 3 minutes. Optional: The video can be edited, if needed.
    • The video should show: participant’s face, codes, guiding us through your project. It should cover the following:
      i) Describe your project and codes
      ii) What inspired you to make it?
      iii) What is the purpose of your project?

Video Tips:

  • It is recommended to perform a one-take with Zoom, which allows you to simultaneously record your face and your screen. You may access our guide to recording a video presentation by clicking here.
  • Alternatively, you can also use your screen recorder tool, a webcam or even stitch together videos made with your phone or DSLR.
  • Ask your parents to help you with it and you can get creative together!

Project Submission Information:

  • Master Category (Ages 13 to 18, Born in the year 2005-2010): All projects to be hosted on Replit or Google Colab and kindly submit the Replit / Google Colab project link. Please ensure that the Google Colab file is viewable to anyone with the link!
  • Senior Category (Ages 10 to 12, Born in the year 2011-2013): Please ‘Export selected project to computer’ and submit the downloaded .aia file for your App Inventor project.
  • Junior Category (Ages 7 to 9, Born in the year 2014-2016): Please share your project and submit the Scratch project link.

IMPORTANT: The project submitted should be original, not copied or remixed from other programmers or AI tools such as ChatGPT without any tweaks or edits. Plagiarised projects will be penalised!

 

How to Participate:

STEP 1
Register yourself / your child by clicking “Register Here“. Registration link will be out on 10 Nov 2023, 12pm!
Registration Deadline: 7 December 2023

STEP 2
Create an original project or reuse a project you have done that addresses at least one of the four UN Sustainable Development Goals listed above – any project that you want to show the world. Enhance it the best you can!

STEP 3
Record your 1 to 3-minute video presentation (showing your face and screen recording of your project and codes).

STEP 4
Submit your video with your project link! (After you’ve registered, a link will be provided for you to upload your submission.)
Submission Deadline: 7 January 2024

STEP 5
All participants will receive a certificate. Our Top Coders will receive features on our social media and blog!
Results Release: 28 February 2024

(See last year’s winners and see their projects here)

 
Register here!

Rubrics

Judges will assess each submission on:
Weightage
Codes
Code efficiency, complexity, readability and re-usability.

40%
Video Presentation
Is the project clearly presented with enthusiasm and confidence? Does the video cover the content within the duration?

15%
Creativity & Originality
Use your imagination to create original projects or tweak other projects in unique ways.

25%
Usability
How easy is it to use your project? Are the controls intuitive? Are there instructions (if needed)?

20%

*The video presentations and projects are evaluated on their own (not in comparison to other participants).

What Last Year’s Participants Say

I liked the experience of learning and exploring new ideas.Participant
It’s a good opportunity to develop my child’s skills.Parent of Participant
It would be interesting to see what project I will make next year!Participant
Good learning experience, it was very fun.Parent of Participant
I would participate again next year because it is FUN.Participant
Thank you for the fantastic support from the Coding Lab team!Parent of Participant
I don’t know where I’ll be, but I’ll be willing to join again!Participant
Register here!

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm not a Coding Lab student. Can I still participate?

We want to nurture a community of like-minded coders, who come together to ideate and brainstorm solutions to real-world problems around us! 🌍 We encourage all young coders between the ages of 7-18 to participate and we would love to see your innovative ideas come to life through code and be showcased to the world!

Why is there a participation fee?

The participation fee of $65 is to cover the fees for trophies and certificates, as well as the time and effort our judges are putting in to ensure that everyone’s projects are judged fairly and that all participants receive the appropriate commendations for their creativity and hard work!

What should my video presentation contain?

Your video presentation should be between 1 and 3 minutes long.

It should show:
a) Your face
b) Codes
c) Guiding us through your project.

Some points that you can talk about in the video:
i) Describe your project
ii) What inspired you to make it?
iii) What is the purpose of your project?

How do I do a video presentation?

You can do it with Zoom, a free tool, that you can download here. You can also access our guide to recording a video presentation by clicking here.

Alternatively, you can also use your screen recorder tool, a webcam or even stitch together videos made with your phone or DSLR. Get creative!

My video exceeded 3 minutes! Can this be accepted?

The maximum duration of your video presentation is 3 minutes. You can use any video editing software (eg. iMovie, Microsoft Photos, Adobe Premiere Pro, phone app editor) to edit your video to meet the required duration. If your submitted video is more than 3 minutes in length, our judging panel will only watch to the 3 minute mark in your video to ensure fairness to all participants.

Can AI be used in my presentation video?

If the AI is used to generate visual aids for the presentation video, that is alright.

Regarding speaking during the presentation video, we would like to see you present your project personally and hear you share about your innovative ideas!

If I am using Python or HTML/CSS/Javascript, can I create my project on other IDEs other than Replit?

We encourage participants submitting projects using Python or HTML/CSS/Javascript to create projects on Replit and submit the Replit project links. As Replit is a collaborative IDE, it is convenient for participants to share their projects as everything is on 1 link, and it is also easy for judges as well as others to access your project.

I've submitted my application. Where do I upload my project and video presentation to?

Firstly, ensure that you’ve registered. The submission link and instructions to upload your project and video presentation will be sent in the confirmation email upon registration.

Can I make some changes to my project?

You may re-submit your latest version at the same link as long as it is before the submission deadline. Your most recent submission will be the one that the judges will grade.

Can I have more than 1 submission?

Yes, you can have more than 1 submission! We’re glad that you have made many projects that you would like to show the world. However, take note that we only accept 1 submission for each platform, and you will need to register separately for each submission.

For example, if you are 10 to 12 years old, you can submit a project using Python, then you can register a second time to submit a project using a different platform (Scratch or App Inventor). As long as the platforms you use are accepted for your age group, you are welcome to do so as long as it is a different project using different platforms!

Please remember that you can only submit 1 project in each submission. You will need to fill in the registration form separately for every project you want to submit.

If you have submitted more than one using the same platform, write to us at community@codinglab.com.sg to let us know which project you would like us to look at and grade. Otherwise, we will grade your most recent submission.

Must I choose the category based on my age?

Yes, we recommend you to submit a project in the category based on your age.

Ages 7-9: Junior Category
Ages 10-12: Senior Category
Ages 13-18: Master Category

This competition aims to provide our young coders a chance to share their ideas and solutions to issues plaguing our Global community. We encourage participants to prepare a project and video that they are passionate about; one that enables their ideals to shine through whilst showcasing their coding abilities.

You may refer to the judging rubrics on this webpage to see what you can prioritise in your project!

Can I participate if I am a beginner at coding?

Yes, definitely. We recommend you to participate no matter your experience in coding as this platform is an opportunity to showcase your innovative ideas.

This competition aims to provide our young coders a chance to share their ideas and solutions to issues plaguing our Global community. We encourage participants to prepare a project and video that they are passionate about; one that enables their ideals to shine through whilst showcasing their coding abilities.

You may refer to the judging rubrics on this webpage to see what you can prioritise in your project!

I need help! Who do I contact?

Got questions about the showcase?
You can email us at community@codinglab.com.sg or call +65 6977 9641 (Singapore) / 03-6450-3265 (Japanese) / 03-6450-3266 (English).

Having issues with submission?
You can email your project / project link to us at community@codinglab.com.sg.

Will I get a certificate and a trophy?

ALL participants are guaranteed a certificate! The only difference between the participants is the award they receive e.g. Platinum or Gold.

The International Coding Showcase 2023 (SG-JP) Committee reserves the right to amend the rules and conditions without prior notice. For any enquiries, please contact community@codinglab.com.sg. The Judges’ decisions are final. No appeals will be entertained.

For more info, contact us:

FOR SINGAPORE
+65 6977 9641
Email: community@codinglab.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CodingLabAsia
Instagram: www.instagram.com/CodingLabAsia

FOR JAPAN
03-6450-3265 (Japanese) / 03-6450-3266 (English)
Email: info@codinglab.jp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CodingLabJp
Instagram: www.instagram.com/CodingLabJp