PathBuilder

🚀 Inspiration

Choosing a future shouldn’t feel like solving a puzzle with missing pieces.
For many students, especially those without easy access to guidance, information about grades, pathways, and next steps is scattered across countless websites. That overload makes planning feel intimidating before it even starts.

We wanted to build one clear place that starts with where a student is now and shows what comes next step by step.

🧭 What it does

PathBuilder is an interactive, map-based web app that helps students in Grades 9–12 visualize their education journey.

After a short intake quiz, students see:

A timeline map of grade-level steps
Gradual unlocking of post-school pathways like University, College, Apprenticeships, and Bootcamps
Clear, Digestible and Centralised information

No pressure. No overwhelming choices upfront.

🛠️ How we built it

We built PathBuilder using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, focusing on simplicity and accessibility rather than heavy frameworks. The project is entirely front-end, making it lightweight and easy to understand.

User input from the intake quiz is stored locally and used to control the experience dynamically. Based on a student’s current grade, the app determines which steps appear on the timeline and when post-school pathways are unlocked. This allows the interface to adapt to different starting points without overwhelming the user.

The main interface is a map-style layout where each grade level represents a step in the journey. We used connected nodes and visual progression to guide users forward, helping them focus on what matters now instead of everything at once. Supporting information for each step and pathway is displayed contextually, so users only see relevant details at the right time.

⚠️ Challenges we ran into

Our biggest challenge was balancing ambition with limited time. We had many ideas for expanding the platform, but we had to focus on building a strong core experience first. This meant prioritizing clarity, usability, and meaningful guidance over extra features.

🌟 Accomplishments that we're proud of

Turning a stressful planning process into a visual, step-by-step journey
Centralizing information students usually have to search for across multiple platforms
Designing with accessibility and simplicity in mind from the start

📚 What we learned

We learned that accessibility isn’t just about having information, it’s about how that information is structured. When users can clearly see their next step, confidence and understanding improve dramatically.

🔮 What's next for PathBuilder

Next, we want to add smart reminders and notifications for key deadlines like course selection, scholarship applications, and apprenticeship opportunities. We also hope to explore mentorship-related features and partnerships to provide even more real-time support.