sddec23-01 • Jack-o-Lantern Tracker

Project Overview

Spirits in the Gardens is an annual event held at Reiman Gardens, which is a stunning botanic garden located at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The event has been a tradition in the community for many years, with attendees returning year after year to experience the beauty of nature and indulge in the spirits of Halloween.

To see what Spirits in the Gardens look like here is a walk through of the 2021 event.

One of the key features of the event is the over 1000 jack-o-lanterns that are carved by hundreds of volunteers. Each of these jack-o-lanterns has a unique pattern on it, which is cut out from stencils each year. This process of organizing events and keeping track of every stencil is extremely challenging for event organizers. Therefore, having an application to solve this problem is necessary.

Using a dedicated application would provide a reliable and efficient solution to the issue of organizing and managing the stencils for Spirits in the Gardens. The app could be designed to store all the patterns and stencils used in previous years, making it easy for event organizers to locate and reuse them. This would save a lot of time and effort, as it eliminates the need to create new stencils every year.

The application could also be designed to allow volunteers to upload their own stencil designs, which could then be approved by the event organizers before being added to the database. This would enable the event to have a wider range of stencil designs and patterns to choose from, making the event even more exciting and enjoyable for visitors.

In addition to managing the stencils, the application could also be used to track the progress of the carving process and share photos with the host. This would streamline the entire process, making it more efficient and less prone to errors.

Moreover, using a dedicated application for Spirits in the Gardens could improve the overall experience for visitors. The app could be designed to provide information about the event, including the stencil information in detail. Visitors could use the AI camera in the app to learn about the different stencils and vote for their favorite one.

In conclusion, Spirits in the Gardens is a popular and exciting event that has become a tradition in the community. With the use of a dedicated application, event organizers could manage the stencils more efficiently, assign tasks, track progress, and communicate more effectively. This would save time, reduce errors, and improve the overall experience for visitors. By embracing technology, Spirits in the Gardens could continue to grow and thrive for many years to come.

Team Members

Kyle Goben

Team Lead, Frontend

Hi! My name is Kyle Goben. Most of my experience is in full stack development as well as some embedded systems. This past year I have been working at JPMorgan Chase as a full-stack software engineer.

Kiara Sta. Maria

Frontend

Hello, I'm a software engineering student with interests on UI and full stack development. I am currently a .NET intern at a small tech company in Ames, and I'm still working with them now.

Omar Muhammetkulyev

Backend

Hi there! I am Omar Muhammetkulyyev, also a Software Engineering student at ISU. I have experiences working with mostly backend on personal projects and solving algorithmic puzzles in my free time.

Phuoc (Johnny) Nguyen

Backend

Hello! I'm Phuoc Nguyen (or Johnny), a Software Engineering student with a keen interest in Databases, UI, and Cloud Computing. I'll be joining MidAmerican Energy as a Systems & Development Analyst.