#CurrentStatus Episode 55 is about coding practice for the greater good through the Code the Curve Hackathon.  Co-hosts Phoummala SchmittTheresa MillerHolly Lehman and guest Melissa Sassi discuss just this. During this pandemic, we all have a choice. Perspective is everything. You have the choice to have lemons, or make lemonade. On this week’s episode, Melissa Sassi, the Global Head of IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator, shows us how she made the best of COVID through #CodetheCurve and her life story.

Time for Change Hackathon

When COVID hit, Melissa realized there was an opportunity to change perspectives, take action and instead of looking at the pandemic for the shocking data, she decided to use tech to make an impact on issues unidentified by creating opportunities for others allowing for coding practice and a contest. Melissa Sassi, used her network for good and announced this #CodetheCurve hackathon for those in tech to take a shot at using their knowledge to help the issues at hand. Using her friends at UNESCO the hackathon for this effort began!

Coding Examples for Data Science and Technology

Melissa used her online audience and included others did a call for judges on this #CodetheCurve effort. Creating a data science solution around health and social issues through data and technical solutions. With 1.5 million young people homeschooling, the 20+ teams identified solutions to help this effort for parents and kids. 200 teams applied and was a worldwide effort. 20 hours of online training, webinars to include 20 diff partners all engaged to run the hackathon.

Great solutions through Hackathon Coding Practice created!

In the end, solutions from these teams ranged anywhere from online translation efforts, laptop support for those in need, broadband issues resolved by mentorship and educational support via WhatsApp, COVID solution for medical efforts via x-rays and more.

#CurrentStatus Episode and Recording

The Real Deal

The interview didn’t stop with the hackathon, Melissa shared her true-life story with us as well. She has been separated from her 3 children for years now. They live in Tunisia and as they started to learn technical apps in school she quickly realized schools in their city were less than up to date and she wanted to ensure her children and other kids had access to online tools, laptops and coding education. She used her real life story to take action and help others thru #MentorNations

Wrapping things up!

In this episode of The Current Status we saw that positive action, brings positive rewards through coding examples and coding practice. The love of technology may not fix everything but it’s a start in the right direction and how we view our situation is up to us. This was a heartfelt episode and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!