Is this actionable now?

unknown. The official repository documents the completed challenge format, but a dependable current 2026 application window was not verified.

What burden and restrictions apply?

Participants log coding time and submit working project evidence; this is a milestone prize/community program, not a financial grant. No cash use-of-funds applies; rewards are earned by completing published participation milestones.

Hack Club — Athena Award

No cash award: eligible participants historically earned hardware prizes and a sponsored Parthenon hackathon experience after completing project and coding-hour milestones. · Hack Club (Athena initiative; collaborators have included MIT, Girls Who Code, and GitHub)

A 6-month program (Hack Club's Athena initiative) for girls and nonbinary high-school students worldwide: build three technical projects and log 30 hours of coding to earn an invite to Parthenon, a 3-day all-girls hackathon in NYC, plus prizes such as iPads and Framework laptops. Current lifecycle: unknown. Real economics: No cash award: eligible participants historically earned hardware prizes and a sponsored Parthenon hackathon experience after completing project and coding-hour milestones..

Tier 3teen-buildersgirls-in-technonbinaryhigh-school

Apply Official site Open in the live directory

Key facts

Funder	Hack Club (Athena initiative; collaborators have included MIT, Girls Who Code, and GitHub)
Amount	No cash award: eligible participants historically earned hardware prizes and a sponsored Parthenon hackathon experience after completing project and coding-hour milestones.
Decision time	The reviewed official corpus does not publish a dependable end-to-end decision interval.
Eligibility	Girls and nonbinary high-school students worldwide.
Restrictions	Participants log coding time and submit working project evidence; this is a milestone prize/community program, not a financial grant. No cash use-of-funds applies; rewards are earned by completing published participation milestones.
Status	closed

Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.

Application process

Register on the current Athena route if open
Build three technical projects
Log at least 30 coding hours
Submit evidence and complete verification
Receive eligible prizes and event invitation

Background

Hack Club (Athena initiative; collaborators have included MIT, Girls Who Code, and GitHub) operates Hack Club — Athena Award. This pass separates direct cash, repayable finance, credits, incentives and umbrella programs so later ranking does not compare unlike instruments. The official repository documents three-project and 30-hour completion requirements. Historical rewards included hardware and a Parthenon event invitation. Current-cycle status remains explicitly unknown rather than inferred from an old page.

How the application really works

Register on the current Athena route if open → Build three technical projects → Log at least 30 coding hours → Submit evidence and complete verification → Receive eligible prizes and event invitation

Tips

Show direct fit with software.
Show direct fit with hardware.
Show direct fit with technical creative projects.

Watch out for

Current lifecycle is unknown.
Participants log coding time and submit working project evidence; this is a milestone prize/community program, not a financial grant.
No cash use-of-funds applies; rewards are earned by completing published participation milestones.

Track record

The official repository documents three-project and 30-hour completion requirements.
Historical rewards included hardware and a Parthenon event invitation.
Current-cycle status remains explicitly unknown rather than inferred from an old page.

The reviewed official corpus does not publish an applicant denominator and comparable selection rate.

Frequently asked questions

Is this actionable now?: unknown. The official repository documents the completed challenge format, but a dependable current 2026 application window was not verified.
What is the real economic value?: No cash award: eligible participants historically earned hardware prizes and a sponsored Parthenon hackathon experience after completing project and coding-hour milestones.
Who is eligible?: Girls and nonbinary high-school students worldwide.
How does selection work?: Register on the current Athena route if open; Build three technical projects; Log at least 30 coding hours; Submit evidence and complete verification; Receive eligible prizes and event invitation. The reviewed official corpus does not publish a dependable end-to-end decision interval.
What burden and restrictions apply?: Participants log coding time and submit working project evidence; this is a milestone prize/community program, not a financial grant. No cash use-of-funds applies; rewards are earned by completing published participation milestones.
What evidence exists?: The official repository documents three-project and 30-hour completion requirements. Historical rewards included hardware and a Parthenon event invitation. Current-cycle status remains explicitly unknown rather than inferred from an old page. The reviewed official corpus does not publish an applicant denominator and comparable selection rate.

Sources

github.com/hackclub/athena-award — Official Hack Club repository documenting eligibility, milestones and rewards (checked 2026-08-10)
award.athena.hackclub.com — Official program route checked for current lifecycle (checked 2026-08-10)
athena.hackclub.com — Official source used for the 2026-08-11 verification correction. (checked 2026-08-11)