<commit_before>---
layout: page
permalink: /events-and-volunteering
title: Events & Volunteering
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#### Rails Girls and RailsBridge

Andy volunteered as a photographer for [Rails Girls](http://railsgirls.com/) in Baltimore, MD March 2013[^1].

He volunteered at a similar event called Rails Bridge in Boston, MA January 2015, as a photographer and mentor, held at the General Assembly space. These organizations help increase diversity in tech.

 > "RailsBridge workshops are a free and fun way to get started or level up with Rails, Ruby, and other web technologies." <cite>― RailsBridge ―</cite>

 > "Our events focus on increasing diversity in tech, so that people of all backgrounds can feel welcome and comfortable in our industry." <cite>― RailsBridge ―</cite>

![RailsBridge Boston 2015 Marketing Material](/assets/images/pages/railsbridge-boston-2015-1.jpg)
<small>RailsBridge Boston / General Assembly, 2015. Photo by [<NAME>](http://andyatkinson.com)</small>

![RailsBridge Boston 2015 Participants](/assets/images/pages/railsbridge-boston-2015-2.jpg)
<small>RailsBridge Boston / General Assembly, 2015. Photo by [<NAME>](http://andyatkinson.com)</small>

![RailsBridge Boston 2015 Participants](/assets/images/pages/railsbridge-boston-2015-3.jpg)
<small>RailsBridge Boston / General Assembly, 2015. Photo by [<NAME>](http://andyatkinson.com)</small>

#### Overnight Website Challenge

 > "Pairing volunteer technologists with nonprofits during a 24-hour hackathon." <cite>― Overnight Website Challenge ―</cite>

Andy was part of a 10 person team for the [Overnight Website Challenge](http://overnightwebsitechallenge.com/) event, helping the non-profit organization Resource Center of the Americas (closed 2017) build a brand new website. A content-management system was introduced (Radiant CMS) along with custom design and template. [Blog post with more details](/blog/2009/03/01/f1-webchallenge-team-rubymn-recap).

#### Node Knockout

Part of a 4-person team competing in a 24-hour programming competition, building an app using Node.JS. [Node Knockout blog post with more detail](/blog/2010/09/01/node-knockout).

 [^1]: Photo credits and coverage at [Technically Baltimore](https://technical.ly/baltimore/2013/03/05/rails-girls-baltimore-first-event-betamore/)<commit_msg>Add MinneSpark winner details from 2010<commit_after>---
layout: page
permalink: /events-and-volunteering
title: Events & Volunteering
---

#### Rails Girls and RailsBridge

Andy volunteered as a photographer for [Rails Girls](http://railsgirls.com/) in Baltimore, MD March 2013[^1].

He volunteered at a similar event called Rails Bridge in Boston, MA January 2015, as a photographer and mentor, held at the General Assembly space. These organizations help increase diversity in tech.

 > "RailsBridge workshops are a free and fun way to get started or level up with Rails, Ruby, and other web technologies." <cite>― RailsBridge ―</cite>

 > "Our events focus on increasing diversity in tech, so that people of all backgrounds can feel welcome and comfortable in our industry." <cite>― RailsBridge ―</cite>

![RailsBridge Boston 2015 Marketing Material](/assets/images/pages/railsbridge-boston-2015-1.jpg)
<small>RailsBridge Boston / General Assembly, 2015. Photo by [<NAME>](http://andyatkinson.com)</small>

![RailsBridge Boston 2015 Participants](/assets/images/pages/railsbridge-boston-2015-2.jpg)
<small>RailsBridge Boston / General Assembly, 2015. Photo by [<NAME>](http://andyatkinson.com)</small>

![RailsBridge Boston 2015 Participants](/assets/images/pages/railsbridge-boston-2015-3.jpg)
<small>RailsBridge Boston / General Assembly, 2015. Photo by [<NAME>](http://andyatkinson.com)</small>

#### Overnight Website Challenge

 > "Pairing volunteer technologists with nonprofits during a 24-hour hackathon." <cite>― Overnight Website Challenge ―</cite>

Andy was part of a 10 person team for the [Overnight Website Challenge](http://overnightwebsitechallenge.com/) event, helping the non-profit organization Resource Center of the Americas (closed 2017) build a brand new website. A content-management system was introduced (Radiant CMS) along with custom design and template. [Blog post with more details](/blog/2009/03/01/f1-webchallenge-team-rubymn-recap).

#### Node Knockout

Part of a 4-person team competing in a 24-hour programming competition, building an app using Node.JS. [Node Knockout blog post with more detail](/blog/2010/09/01/node-knockout).

#### MinneSpark

May 2010 — [MinneSpark Cash & Services Winner](https://tech.mn/news/2010/05/22/minnespark-ignites-three-winners-with-cash-services/). More Details:

Train Brain is a simple app serving a real need: more convenient Metro Transit train schedule access on iPhone. While Train Brain has been on the market for a while now, developer <NAME>'s focus will be on "delivering a completed Bus Brain iPhone app as the next step."

 [^1]: Photo credits and coverage at [Technically Baltimore](https://technical.ly/baltimore/2013/03/05/rails-girls-baltimore-first-event-betamore/)
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