That Time I Crushed It at the Google AI Event!
Photo: Team Alpha! (That’s me in the middle holding up the peace sign ✌️)
By: Sarah Zhao
When I joined Hack the Hood's Build program last year, I was just hoping to improve my Python skills after a discouraging experience in middle school. Little did I know it would lead me to not only rediscover my love for programming but also land an incredible opportunity at Google headquarters during NBA All Star Weekend in The Bay!
The "Beyond the Court: AI All Stars" event—a collaboration between Google and the NBA Foundation—felt like my perfect chance to show what I could do with my rekindled passion for tech. It was an immersive two-day experience for teens to explore the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) through interactive workshops, inspiring demos, and hands-on projects. I knew I was in for something special!
Freaking Out (But in a Good Way)
Walking into Google's office on the first morning, my heart was racing. The place was packed with over 100 high school students, and I felt seriously intimidated. But looking around, I saw that the Google office space was amazing. It was filled with plants, modern workspaces, and my personal favorite detail - a designated bathroom area for employees' dogs! Out of all the tech offices I've visited, Google definitely has the coolest vibe.
Once I got there, I honestly contemplated walking right back out. But once I met my teammates - Cassidy, Ryan, Michelle, and Katherine (I call her Kitty Kat) - everything changed. We connected instantly, and suddenly I wasn't so nervous anymore. Our team, "The Alphas," was one of 20 teams ready to tackle the AI challenge.
"The Alphas" Enter the Scene
The event kicked off with some incredible speakers – Google executives, nonprofit leaders, and even former NBA players. After a delicious lunch (side note: Google has the BEST sour cream and onion chips I've ever tasted), we broke into teams with our Google mentors to start our project. We had the honor of working with Olga Donnelly, the Global Recruiting Director for Google Cloud and Youtube. The competition had several challenge categories to choose from, and our team decided to tackle the challenge of improving the fan experience and merchandise sales at NBA games.
We came up with an app idea called "NBA Hunt" - basically Pokémon GO but for NBA arenas! You could run around collecting points for merch and coupons while the AI technology made sure everyone wasn't crowded in the same spots. Pretty genius, right?
What made this experience so special was how everyone on our team brought something different to the table. We were all from totally different backgrounds with our own thoughts and ideas, but somehow we meshed it all together into something AMAZING!
Presentation Time = Show Time!
When they announced we were one of five finalists, we were hyped! We knew we had to make our presentation POP. So we started with this super dramatic skit where Michelle was like "OMG I'm sooo bored of these NBA games" 🙄 and then BAM - we introduced our solution! I did the demo part (lowkey terrifying but I crushed it), and we finished with this goofy group pose that had everyone laughing.
And then... WE WON FIRST PLACE! 🎉🎉🎉
We all got Google Pixel 9 phones, Pixel Buds Pro, and courtside seats to the 2025 NBA HBCU Classic game! Not gonna lie, we were freaking out about those phones especially!
The Best Part? My New Crew!
While the prizes were awesome, what I value most are the friendships that we formed. Our team immediately created a group chat and we’re already planning our next hangout. I’m so grateful for the "Beyond the Court: AI All Stars" event for bringing us together in such a meaningful way!
Overall, this experience solidified my decision to study computer science at university this fall. Hack the Hood's Build program rekindled my love for coding, and this Google event showed me that the tech world can be collaborative, inclusive, and full of awesome friends who hype you up.
I can't wait to see where this journey takes me next!
