Inspiration
Our project was inspired by the CUNY Cares report, "The Cumulative Impact of Unmet Essential Needs", which highlighted the significant challenges faced by students in the Bronx, including food insecurity, housing instability, lack of mental health treatment, and inadequate healthcare access. These findings motivated us to expand the research across other CUNY campuses, aiming to identify and address similar issues affecting students. We recognized the urgent need to gather data, raise awareness, and advocate for better support systems for all CUNY students, ensuring they have access to the essential resources required for their academic and personal success.
What it does
Our project serves as a comprehensive tool designed to survey and analyze the unmet needs of CUNY students across various campuses. By collecting data on critical areas such as food insecurity, housing instability, mental health, and healthcare access, the application provides insights into the specific challenges students face. This data-driven approach helps in identifying gaps in resources, enabling administration and student affairs to implement targeted interventions.
How we built it
We built the project using a combination of front-end and back-end technologies. On the front-end, we used React to create an interactive and user-friendly interface that allows students to easily participate in the survey and view related resources. The design was built using CSS and Bootstrap to ensure a polished, responsive, and visually appealing experience. For the back-end, we used Node.js and Express to handle server-side operations, while SQL was employed for data management. The integration between the front-end and back-end was carefully orchestrated to maintain seamless functionality and a smooth user experience. Additionally, the platform was developed collaboratively by a diverse team, each member bringing expertise in different areas such as full-stack development, front-end design, and back-end data handling.
Challenges we ran into
Throughout the development process, we encountered several challenges. One of the main challenges was ensuring the seamless integration of front-end and back-end components, particularly in managing data flows between the user interface and the server. Another challenge was designing a survey that was both comprehensive and easy for students to complete, requiring careful consideration of questions. Additionally, working within the time constraints of the hackathon pushed us to make quick yet effective decisions, balancing functionality with design. Collaborating across different schedules also required us to effectively manage our workflow and communication. Despite these challenges, we persevered, resulting in a project that not only meets its objectives but also reflects the collective efforts and expertise of the team.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We successfully developed a fully functional survey platform that enables CUNY students to voice their needs and concerns, with a polished user interface and seamless data integration. We are also proud of how we were all able to effectively merge our different skillsets, resulting in a great project.
What we learned
Throughout this project, we learned the importance of clear communication and collaboration, especially when working remotely with a diverse team. Through research, we gained deeper insights into the challenges faced by students across various CUNY campuses, which reinforced our commitment to addressing these issues through technology. Technically, we enhanced our skills in full-stack development, particularly in integrating front-end and back-end technologies efficiently. Additionally, we learned how to prioritize tasks and make strategic decisions quickly to meet the hackathon deadline.
What's next for The Code Rangers
Moving forward, The Code Rangers plan to expand the platform's reach by collecting more data from additional CUNY campuses and refining our analysis to provide even more actionable insights. We also aim to collaborate with CUNY administrators and student organizations to implement the recommendations that emerge from our findings. We are also planning to add a resources page that allows for students to see real time resources near them.
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