The 12th annual Emoti-Con NYC Youth Digital Media & Technology Challenge will now be a virtual project fair and competition for young people who believe in digital innovation as a tool for positive change in the world around them. Middle or High School students who would like to participate can submit a project they’ve already started or choose to participate in this year’s design challenge.

What’s a virtual project fair? How does it work?

Students will upload their ideas (in any stage of the design process and in any format!) on the Virtual Emoti-Con site before 5/22. The Project Fair will be held asynchronously over 2 weeks on the project fair website where each project will have its own page. During this period, students and judges (technology and media industry professionals and college professors) will share emoji kudos and feedback on all project submissions. On Wednesday 6/10, the Emoti-Con committee will announce the winning projects via social media!

Competition Schedule:

• April: Work on your projects!
• 5/1 - 5/22: Submit projects online
• 5/25 - 6/5: Community Project Fair and Judging
• 6/10: Award Ceremony published via social media

Emoti-Con Presentation & Curriculum for Students (Educator Resources):

Share this presentation (via Slides or PDF) with your students to get them excited about the competition. It includes:

• All of the details about this year’s virtual project fair: Who can participate, what kinds of projects can compete, etc.
• Links to free online curriculum on Mouse Open Projects to help students with design thinking and prototyping their ideas virtually.

Special Emoti-Con 2020 Design Challenge

Design something that helps us stay connected, happy and safe during an epidemic.

• For anyone who wants to participate, but isn’t already working on a project, you can join this special design challenge.
• Your idea could be an 📱 app, 🔬 tool, 💻 website, 🤖 robot, 🎺 song, 👾 game, 💡invention, 🎤 podcast, 📦 product, 🗣 performance, 📝 other media.
• You can submit your idea as a design or prototype - it doesn’t have to be a finished technical product!

If you want to participate:

Go to the Virtual Emoti-Con site to apply! Email emoticon@mouse.org if you need help. We will share updates on Emoti-Con’s social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.