K'Bro Emotional Resiliency App:

K'Bro is an innovative mobile app designed to boost emotional resilience among adolescents by providing a direct, engaging platform for anonymous support and mental health resources, while also enabling adults to monitor and understand youth behaviors more effectively.

K'Bro Emotional Resiliency App is part of YouROK's mission to confront the adolescent mental health crisis by leveraging mobile technology. The app serves as a crucial tool for building emotional resilience among teens and tweens through interactive and accessible formats.

Transition and Development:

My journey with K'Bro began as a software engineer and game designer, where I played a pivotal role in transitioning the app from an infinite runner game to a more engaging action platformer. This shift was crucial as it helped align the app's interactive elements with its core mission of fostering emotional resilience.

Technical Challenges and Solutions:

One significant challenge was adapting to unforeseen changes, such as when our external chatbot provider was acquired and terminated our contract. Demonstrating resourcefulness, my team and I reverse-engineered the existing chatbot functionality to continue providing seamless support within the app. This not only saved the feature but also enhanced our control over its operation and integration.

Ongoing Impact and Integration:

The K'Bro app has been successfully integrated into numerous school systems, where it serves as a proactive tool for educators and mental health professionals to monitor and support student well-being. The app's continuous improvement process ensures it remains at the forefront of educational and mental health technology, adapting to the ever-changing needs of its users.

Reflections on the Project:

Working on the K'Bro app has been a deeply fulfilling experience, particularly in seeing how technology can directly enhance the lives of young individuals. The project underscored the importance of agile responses to technical challenges and the value of mentorship in a development environment.
This project not only highlights the potential for technology to address critical social issues but also showcases the powerful impact of adaptive and responsive game design in engaging youth in meaningful ways.