Pacifica Stories

Jack Gehringer, Pacifica junior, has embarked on a mission to help people near and far prepare for natural disasters, a risk our community has become all too familiar with this year. The website he created, Preparedly, assesses your zip code and the risk of natural disasters in the area you live in, and then tells you ways to prepare for these risks. 

Jack came up with this idea prior to the Palisades fire; he actually began developing the website concept following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the Carolinas last fall. He abandoned the project in the beginning stages due to his limitations in computer science knowledge. However, after seeing his community be impacted so drastically by the fires, he decided to continue building the website with the help of AI. 

Due to his limited background in computer science, the project at hand felt impossible to tackle at first. With guidance from Pacifica math teacher Steve Eno, Jack has been able to build out the site over the last few months using AI tools at a rate that could not have been achieved by himself. He is still facing challenges, of course. Jack said one of the most difficult parts of the project has been the backend coding, where he has had to build a database of product recommendations for different levels of preparedness and types of disasters. However, with the help of AI, he can tackle tasks that are feasible without getting bogged down or limited by the more technical aspects.

“I think the use of AI can be helpful if you use it in the right way,” said Jack. “If you rely on AI 100% it takes away the beauty of building something because it’s not your creation anymore, but I think it can be a very powerful tool in creation.” 

So far, Jack’s website prompts visitors to create an account that requires the input of their zip code. From there, you are able to select different ‘Kit Levels’ of preparedness with estimated price points for material costs. After selecting which level kit you desire, a comprehensive list of items needed for survival is populated. Each item has a brief description of why it is an essential tool for the kit, as well as a price and link to Amazon so users can begin building their kits piece by piece.

Jack hopes more students will be motivated to transform their ideas into reality, especially with the unique capabilities of AI at their disposal. Now more than ever, building out your ideas has less to do with skill and more to do with creativity, imagination, and determination.