PlutoHacks Blast!

By Max Fajardo

fajac7@mail.broward.edu

It’s October, meaning it’s the season of spooky scares and breezy days here in Florida. But ghastly ghouls and wicked witches aren’t the only ones cooking up something this Halloween season.Broward College’s Central Campus announced the start of the 2025 PlutoHacks, an electrifying Hackathon event hosted by the IT and Engineering Department at Broward College Central that took place on October 10th and 11th. The participants, or “Hackers”, have 24 hours to work on a project inspired by a yearly theme, this year being The Past, Present, and Future. Once the ‘hacking’ period is over, the Hackers must present their project in front of the judges. 

In honor of PlutoHacks’ 10-year anniversary, The Observer reached out and got an exclusive interview with Sunnah Imhotep, an Organizer and Game Master of BC’s PlutoHacks. As a Game Master, he’s in charge of setting up games the Hackers can play while working on their projects. For instance, Nintendo Switch consoles, VR headsets, and Midnight Magic the Gathering were among the fun things he set up to do when hackers need a break from working on their projects. When asked why he decided to get involved with PlutoHacks, Mr. Imhotep shared that he participated in the 2034 and 2024 PlutoHacks at both Broward College and FIU as a Hacker. He felt like organizing this event at Broward College would be a fun way to give back and allow for new Hackers to have the same amazing experience he had. 

Mr. Imhotep is ecstatic about his work on the PlutoHacks team, explaining that it provides a place where students can put their skills to the test and learn new skills. “I like encouraging people to experiment and try new things,” he stated, “as PlutoHacks provides safe space for students to experiment with new technology and attempt things they’ve never done before.” His favorite aspect of PlutoHacks comes from the in-between game sections, especially karaoke. “Usually around 2am, the Organizers bring out a karaoke machine, and we all take turns singing songs,” Mr. Imhotep explains, recalling with jubilant excitement how participants and staff alike enjoy belting out their favorite songs. “Not only is it a lot of fun, but it also helps energize the hackers, giving them the second wind they need to keep hacking late into the night.” 

When asked about how PlutoHacks impacts Broward College, Mr. Imhotep explained that PlutoHacks is one of the ways for BC Faculty and students to unite and bond over the event, especially because many have had participated in the hackathon before. In addition, PlutoHacks also provides a great opportunity for students to send their resumes to companies like UKG who sponsor the event. One of the biggest things that Mr. Imhotep wants newcomers to know is that PlutoHacks does not require any kind of experience to join. He doesn’t want newcomers to worry about ‘being good enough’ to join. 

To end off, Imhotep offers this advice for future participants: “Take your time and experience what PlutoHacks has to offer. Even if you’re not interested in submitting a project, you can still join in on games, attend workshops, and spend time exploring the venue. A lot of hackers tend to hyper focus on submitting a project, yet they forget to enjoy themselves.” 

This year’s PlutoHacks has come to a close, but if you’re interested in high-tech hijinks in the future, then head to plutohacks.com for future updates and sign-ups, or scan the QR code shown. The website is updated every year; but you can also join inTech, a BC club that works closely with PlutoHacks and helps inform students about their events. 

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