Findr

Inspiration

What it does

Findr is a modern digital lost-and-found platform for schools. It has two main parts: Student Portal: Students can browse a clean feed of found items, each with a photo, date, and description — no login required. This makes it easy to quickly check if their belongings have been found. Teacher Portal: Teachers log in securely to upload new items with photos and descriptions, and can remove old items. Everything posted instantly appears in the student feed, keeping the system organized and efficient. Findr replaces messy lost-and-found boxes with a fast, user-friendly, and organized digital solution.

How we built it

We built Findr using a full-stack approach: Frontend: React + TypeScript + Vite for a fast and clean UI Styling: TailwindCSS for modern, responsive design Backend: Firebase Authentication + Firestore Database Image Storage: Firebase Storage for uploaded photos Deployment: Vercel for smooth hosting We connected teacher authentication, real-time database updates, and image uploads to create a seamless experience.

Challenges we ran into

Designing the UI: Making it modern, simple, and easy for both students and teachers Authentication Logic: Ensuring only teachers can log in and upload items Database Sync: Making sure new items appear instantly for students Image Handling: Compressing and storing images without slowing down the app Time Constraint: Building the full stack and polishing everything quickly

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a fully working app with real authentication, image upload, and item feed Created a clean and elegant UI that feels professional Built a system that actually solves a real school problem Made a digital solution that could realistically be used by any school. More specifically, something that real schools would be interested in purchasing.

What we learned

How to integrate frontend and backend systems efficiently How to use Firebase Auth, Firestore, and Storage together How to design user-friendly interfaces under time pressure How to create an idea that is not too overcomplicated but also not basic, like a task manager.

What's next for Findr

I want to create a history feed where teachers can see all the things that were found and lost to better keep a record. I also want notifications to teachers when a student claims an item. Lastly, I would also like to add a bounty system where students can get points or some sort of reward if they turn things in to the lost and found. This would create a reason to give things to the lost and found instead of stealing it.