The third annual Leadership by Design (LBD) Hackathon, sponsored and hosted by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), brought 128 Black high school students to CIBC Square in downtown Toronto on Friday, February 20th. The one-day competition was more than a showcase of technical skill. It was a focused exercise in leadership, collaboration, and applied innovation.
Sixteen teams, each made up of students in Grades 10, 11, and 12 from across the Greater Toronto Area and Southern Ontario, worked intensively to develop viable solutions to real-world challenges using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). The students are participants in the LBD program offered by the Lifelong Leadership Institute (LLI), which serves more than 300 youth annually.
Throughout the day, CIBC staff supported the teams with one-on-one mentorship, technical guidance, and encouragement. The structure was intentional: students were not simply exposed to AI tools but guided in how to think critically about their use.
A pre-event slide deck emphasized both technical and soft skills. Participants were encouraged to strengthen collaboration, communication, adaptability, creative thinking, problem-solving, time management, resilience, and empathy. The materials also outlined a clear philosophy around AI use: it should boost your thinking, speed up research, improve clarity, and simulate interactions. It should not replace original work, make decisions independently, or disregard accuracy.
As organizers reminded students, “Use Generative AI as a creative partner that helps you think faster and design smarter, not as a tool that thinks for you.”
The competition centered on three innovation themes:
- AI in Banking: How can Generative AI improve customer service across chatbots, email, and phone channels to deliver faster, more accurate, and human-centered support?
- AI for Social Good: How might AI-powered digital tools connect job seekers from marginalized communities with meaningful employment and personalized upskilling resources?
- AI for Health and Well-Being: How can Generative AI be integrated into digital platforms to provide personalized mental health support and accessible resources?
Each team was required to deliver a five-minute pitch structured around five elements: define the problem, present the solution, explain its impact, demonstrate a prototype, and reflect on team collaboration. The framework ensured clarity, accountability, and coherence.
Reflection itself was treated as a core learning outcome. Students were encouraged to ask: What did I try? What worked? What will I change next time? Organizers stressed that reflection builds self-awareness, strengthens understanding, improves performance, boosts confidence, and supports independence.
For many participants, the experience extended beyond competition. Joshua Dorman, a Grade 12 student who participated in the 2025 Hackathon, described the impact, “I got the incredible opportunity to dive into the world of artificial intelligence, a field I want to discover more about in the future. I learnt a lot from the Hackathon, not just from my group, but looking around and seeing the other innovative ideas to utilize AI was just amazing.”
Trevor Massey, Chair of LLI, underscored the significance of corporate partnership. “Partnering with organizations such as CIBC allows LLI to provide unique learning and leadership-development opportunities for the more than 300 students we serve.”
Douglas Carter, Senior Vice-President, Technology Operations at CIBC and the event’s executive sponsor, framed the day as a milestone. “We are proud to host what will be the largest group of high school students invited to CIBC Square. Focused on design thinking, this full-day event will challenge students to collaborate, innovate and solve complex problems using Generative AI.”
Judges calibrated scores before announcing the winning teams, whose final presentations highlighted disciplined thinking and teamwork.
The event signals a growing commitment to ensuring Black youth are consumers of emerging technologies but active contributors shaping their future applications. By combining mentorship, structured learning, and high expectations, the LBD Hackathon positions students at the intersection of leadership and innovation.
For more information about the Leadership by Design program offered by the Lifelong Leadership Institute, visit www.llileaders.com/LBD
