GROW TO IMPRESS

GROW TO IMPRESS and become an empowered leader! This app gives girls like you personalized goals, inspiring stories, resources, and Ixia, your personalized accountability buddy—all in one place.

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GROW TO IMPRESS

Inspiration

As first-generation college students, we understand the challenges of navigating the tech world without guidance from our families. Our journey has inspired us to empower young girls and provide them with the support and resources we lacked. We believe that AI can be a powerful ally in achieving career goals, and we are passionate about making the path to success clearer and more accessible.

Our personal experiences have shaped our understanding of the critical importance of early intervention and support during the transition to college. These pivotal years can be confusing, and societal biases often discourage young women from pursuing their dreams, especially in male-dominated fields like data science.

Growing up in the USA as the daughter of Mexican immigrants (Ixchel Peralta-Martinez) and as a Colombian who moved to the USA (Maria Duran), we witnessed a stark contrast between the opportunities available and the limited paths traditionally pursued by women in our families, who primarily worked in labor or as housewives. While proud of our heritage, we are determined to break down barriers for women pursuing tech and leadership careers.

Inspired by the popular game "Dress to Impress," we chose the name "Grow to Impress" to emphasize personal growth, confidence-building, and being your best self. Our program aims to empower girls to embrace their dreams and achieve their full potential.

By investing in young girls today, we believe we are shaping a future where women are equally represented and empowered in all fields, including technology.

Our goal aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. We focus on:

  • Ensuring women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership: By fostering confidence and skills in young girls, we are preparing them to become future leaders.
  • Enhancing the use of enabling technology: We believe AI can be a game-changer in providing girls with the resources and support they need to succeed.
  • Promoting gender equality: We strive to create a community where girls feel encouraged and empowered to pursue their passions without limitations.

What it does

GROW TO IMPRESS is a web application divided into 4 sections:

1. Learn How to

This section is the roadmap to success! We've broken down six essential goals into easy-to-follow 21-day guides. Why 21 days? Because research suggests that's the time it takes to form a new habit.

  • Building Your Club: to learn how to create a supportive community around the same interests at school and/or college.
  • Getting Certifications and Courses: to boost skills and knowledge.
  • Building Confidence: to develop unshakeable self-confidence.
  • Recognizing Healthy Relationships: to learn to identify and cultivate positive relationships.
  • Saving Your First $1,000: to master the basics of saving and financial responsibility.
  • Improving Communication Skills: to become a confident and effective communicator.

The girls can monitor their achievements with the built-in progress tracker and achieve their goals one step at a time.

2. IXIA

This section is a personal AI accountability buddy! Designed specifically for young women aged 14-19, IXIA is to support the journey of growth and skill development.

Here's what makes IXIA special:

  • Always there: Just like a supportive friend, IXIA is available 24/7 to answer your questions, offer encouragement, and help you stay motivated.
  • Personalized guidance: IXIA provides tailored advice and resources to help you achieve your unique goals.
  • Boost of confidence: IXIA creates a safe space to share your dreams and track your progress, building your self-belief along the way.

Why IXIA?

The name IXIA comes from the name of a type of flower and the blend of the creators' names (Ixchel and Mar*ia*), reflecting the website's and logo's nature-inspired design. Also "IA" stands for "Inteligencia Artificial" Spanish for Artificial Intelligence!

We know that pursuing new skills and achieving goals can be challenging, especially when you feel alone. IXIA is there to help in every step of the way.

3. Guides

This section is a toolkit for growth and connection, providing resources and guidance in four key areas:

  • TED Talk Summarization to learn faster and get inspired: girls have the possibility to upload a YouTube link from any leadership or TED Talk and receive a concise summary. This allows them to quickly grasp key concepts and gain valuable insights from inspiring speakers. -Mentorship to find the perfect mentor: This tab offers a curated selection of links and resources for finding a mentor who aligns with their goals and interests.
  • Women in Management to expand their network: This is a step-by-step guide to connect with women in leadership positions on LinkedIn. Build valuable relationships with inspiring role models and expand their professional network.
  • Scholarships to access higher education: This section provides a plan for finding scholarships for school/college. Our goal is to make higher education more accessible and empower them to pursue their dreams with less financial barriers.

4. Stories of Inspiration

This section is designed to be a source of motivation and connection for young girls exploring their potential in tech. Here's how it works and why it's so important:

What it is:

  • Real-life stories: Women share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs through photos and inspiring messages.
  • Diverse representation: We showcase women from various backgrounds, career paths, and stages in their careers, demonstrating that success in tech has many faces.
  • Networking opportunity: Users can connect with the featured women through LinkedIn or other platforms, fostering mentorship and community.

Why it matters:

  • Seeing is believing: For young girls, seeing successful women who look like them or share similar backgrounds can be incredibly powerful. It makes their dreams feel attainable.
  • Breaking down barriers: This section showcases the diverse contributions of women and encourages girls to see themselves as future innovators.
  • Filling the information gap: By providing a platform for women to share their stories, we create a valuable resource that is often missing from mainstream media and online platforms.
  • Building a supportive community: "Stories of Inspiration" fosters a sense of belonging and encourages girls to connect with role models and mentors who can guide them on their path.

This section is more than just a collection of stories; it's a dynamic space for inspiration, networking, and empowerment. It's a place where girls can see themselves reflected in the success of others and believe in their potential to achieve great things in the world.

How we built it

Website Development Process

The development of our website involved multiple tools and frameworks, following a structured workflow to ensure quality and functionality. Below is a detailed breakdown of the process:

1. Platform and Frameworks

  • Deployment: The website's user interface (UI) was deployed using Project IDX, with Flask for backend functionality and React for frontend interactivity. This combination provided a flexible and responsive interface.
  • Testing and Debugging: We used Gemini Advance to debug code, check grammar, and ensure the quality of the content displayed in the webUI.

2. Design and Branding

  • Logo Creation: The website logo was designed using Canva to align with our brand's image, creating a cohesive and visually appealing identity.
  • Images and Visuals: All images, except for the logo, were generated using Imagen 3. This tool allowed us to create high-quality visuals according to our design (Request:generate an image of flowers and leaves like those png vector one-line clipart with pastel colors including green and pink, delicate and elegant)

3. Model Development and Integration

  • Model Creation: Initial models were created in Google Colab using Python code, with Jupyter Notebooks enabling efficient code management and iterative testing, especially easy focus on only the capabilities of the API.
  • API Integration: After testing in Colab, the models were integrated into Project IDX, for smooth and functional interaction into the website.

4. Documentation and Resources

  • Google AI Developer Documentation: This documentation was instrumental in guiding us through API capabilities, outputting JSON formats, and implementing effective prompting strategies.
  • Google AI Studio: The Get Code feature and built-in prompt examples from Google AI Studio helped streamline the integration of AI features.

5. Brainstorming and Planning

The project began with a comprehensive brainstorming session, which was critical in defining the following elements:

  • Content Strategy: Determining what content to display and how to organize it.
  • AI Usage: Identifying areas where AI could add value and deciding when a traditional approach was preferable.
  • Feature Specification: Defining unique features for each section to align with platform objectives and user needs. During the process of creating the website, the design and the different buttons and sections were changed based on aesthetics, being user friendly, and usability.

Chatbot Safety and Model Specifications

  • Safety and Defaults: The chatbot's safety settings have been left at their default specifications, the same as the model parameters like temperature.

Challenges We Faced

Throughout the development process, we encountered several challenges that required creative solutions and adaptability:

  • Time Constraints: We joined the hackathon after it had already begun, so managing time efficiently became crucial to ensure we could deliver a functional and impactful app.
  • Defining Model Outputs: Deciding on the appropriate output format for each task was challenging. While JSON outputs worked well in some cases, they proved incompatible in others due to integration issues, requiring us to explore alternative solutions.
  • Learning Project IDX: None of our team members had experience with Project IDX before, so setting it up was a learning curve. However, it turned out to be a valuable and efficient tool for our project.
  • Brainstorming for Meaningful Impact: Developing a concept that was both meaningful and impactful took considerable effort. We wanted our website to address a genuine need, which led to multiple brainstorming sessions to align our ideas with our goals.
  • Iterative Design Improvements: Our initial design was far from ideal, but through continuous iterations, we significantly improved the website's appearance and functionality, achieving a final product that exceeded our original vision.

Accomplishments We're Proud Of

We are incredibly proud of our participation in this hackathon and the opportunity to channel our knowledge toward a goal greater than ourselves—contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality. We take pride not only in the learning journey but also in the tangible results of our efforts, culminating in a website we believe can make a meaningful impact.

What We Learned

This project exposed us to a range of tools and features we hadn't previously explored. We discovered the extensive capabilities of Google's offerings, especially through Gemini, which provided powerful options for development, debugging, and model integration.

What's Next for GROW TO IMPRESS

Expanding AI Model Capabilities

  • Stories of Inspiration: While the “Stories of Inspiration” section currently does not use an AI model, it provides a foundation for future growth. With more and more stories we could create a dataset from this section to fine-tune a Gemini-1.5-Flash model.

Enhanced Accessibility, Localization, and Inclusivity

  • Comprehensive Multilingual Support: To ensure "GROW TO IMPRESS" is accessible to a diverse global audience, will be necessary to implement multilingual support across every section of the platform. IXIA, the platform's AI assistant, already supports responses in over 40 languages. However, the website needs to extend this capability to make every feature available in the user's preferred language. This enhancement will create a truly inclusive experience, breaking down language barriers and enabling users from around the world to engage fully with the platform.

  • Localized, Country-Specific Experience: Tailored “GROW TO IMPRESS” experience specific to each country, incorporating relevant cultural practices, beliefs, and local needs.

  • Accessibility for Disabilities: "GROW TO IMPRESS" is accessible to users of all abilities. This includes implementing features like screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, adjustable font sizes, and high-contrast color options for improved visibility. Additionally, integrate alternative text descriptions for images, subtitles for video content, and simplified layouts that enhance usability.

-Mobile Application: To broaden accessibility for our young, mobile-first target audience, a future direction will be to develop a mobile app. This will address the high prevalence of mobile phone usage among youth and increase accessibility in regions with limited computer access.

User-Generated Content

  • Customizable "How-To" Sections: In the future, users will be able to create their own “How-To” guides, allowing them to share personalized advice, strategies, and insights. This user-driven content will enrich the platform by providing unique perspectives and fostering a supportive community.

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