EWU Students ‘Hack’ Their Way to CodeQuest 2025 Honors

EWU’s Google Developer Group recently hosted more than 40 students for an all-day “hackathon” competition called “Build With AI: CodeQuest 2025.”

The event, held Feb.15 at the Catalyst, included invitees representing universities and high schools from across the Inland Northwest. During the competition, individuals and teams of up to four were given 10 hours to create a project of their choice using coding and AI techniques. 

With free reign over creativity and innovation, some teams focused on web development and software solutions. Others worked with machine learning models and AI applications. The only stipulation: the project had to be built from scratch in the 10-hour timeframe. 

Students arrived with an idea and worked to build a functional prototype within the event’s time constraints,” says Rahat Bhatia. “This format made the event accessible to beginners while still offering a challenge to more experienced developers.”

“The event aimed to encourage creativity, teamwork and problem-solving while providing students with a platform to showcase their technical skills,” says Rahat Bhatia, chapter lead of EWU’s Google Developer Group. 

Unlike traditional coding competitions which require teams to train in advance, this hackathon required no prior preparation. “Students arrived with an idea and worked to build a functional prototype within the event’s time constraints,” says Bhatia. “This format made the event accessible to beginners while still offering a challenge to more experienced developers.”

At the end of the competition, teams presented their finished products to a panel of judges. They were scored based on functionality, innovation, presentation and execution. EWU swept the top three placements, while a team from Ferris High School and Central Valley High School took fourth, and Gonzaga University placed 5th. 

 Beyond collaborative competition, this event also provided tech talks by industry experts. Among the speakers was Gurbinder Gill, co-founder of Mountain View, California-based Corvic AI, who gave a lunch-time talk providing insights into the ever-evolving role of AI technology. 

This event was made possible, in part, by funding from Google’s “Build with AI” campaign. “This initiative supports the development of AI-powered solutions and encourages students and developers to explore artificial intelligence technologies,” says Bhatia. 

EWU’s Google Developer Group shares a similar mission: creating collaborative learning environments in which students can engage with the latest advancements in technology. The student-led group is composed almost entirely of undergraduates who have an interest in technology, regardless of major or experience level. The group hosts workshops, hackathons and technology-focused events throughout the year. 

Eastern’s Google Developer Group is one of only two chapters in Washington state. Establishing a group at EWU required a rigorous selection process with Google, including a three-step interview process with the chapter president. 

Now established, the Google Developer Group has extended their scope beyond Google to include a range of emerging technologies, programming languages and AI applications.