North Idaho College Hosts Free AI Hackathon March 7 at Hedlund Building

Coeur d'Alene students, educators and community members will gather at North Idaho College’s Hedlund Building on March 7 for a free, one-day AI hackathon that asks teams to build AI-driven solutions for local problems and present to industry judges for gift-card prizes. The event runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will field ten teams competing for recognition and awards from NIC industry partners.

The event is presented by NIC X‑Labs, the campus initiative launched last year to link students, instructors and employers, and is co-organized with the University of Idaho’s Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics; University of Idaho students are expected to attend. Blake Sanchez, student representative and ASNIC President, described the approach as different from a typical code sprint: “It’s not a traditional hackathon. We’re going to hack questions and leverage AI to solve them.” Sanchez told The Sentinel organizers had met with more than 20 local and regional businesses — including representatives from healthcare and aerospace — to learn how employers use AI and what skills they want.

Organizers say teams will receive AI tools and guidance on-site and will have a structured schedule to design and prototype solutions before pitching to a panel of judges made up of NIC industry partners. NIC and the Bonner County Daily Bee note that lunch will be provided; The Sentinel also lists a free breakfast and lunch for attendees. Prizes for top teams are described as various gift cards, with exact amounts and retailers not specified in event materials.

The hackathon is explicitly open to high school and college students, educators, industry professionals and community members, and sources emphasize that no prior experience is required. Marita Diffenbaugh, NIC director of innovation, framed the event as an accessible learning opportunity: “The AI Hackathon is hands‑on, team‑based, and supportive—perfect if you want to explore AI without feeling overwhelmed.” Diffenbaugh added that “Using X‑Labs as the bridge, this is an opportunity to bring community, industry and education together to brainstorm ideas, learn about AI tools and build solutions.”

Logistics list the Hedlund Building at 420 N. College Drive in Coeur d’Alene as the venue, and organizers advise prospective participants to register through North Idaho College’s hackathon page on the college website. For questions about judges, prize specifics, or accessibility accommodations, NIC lists Marita.Diffenbaugh@nic.edu as the contact.

The hackathon arrives as NIC expands applied learning on campus: the college is launching two new spring courses, Introduction to Robotics and Innovating for the Real World, that organizers say will complement X‑Labs activities and local workforce needs. With outreach already reaching more than 20 employers across healthcare, aerospace and other sectors, NIC positions the event as a practical, low-barrier step toward giving Kootenai County students and community members workplace-relevant AI experience while channeling projects toward local public and educational needs.