Submission for the World’s Largest Hackathon Writing Challenge: Building with Bolt
I’m Allen Blythe, a 58-year-old retired dreamer with no coding experience, a heart full of ambition, and a passion for challenges. When I stumbled across the World’s Largest Hackathon on Bolt.new, I saw more than a competition—it was a chance to turn my vision of making education accessible and fun into something real. With minimal tech skills but a lifetime of grit, I built EduSphere AI, an AI-powered learning platform for students, teachers, and parents. This is the story of how a YouTube ad, a tiny laptop, and a whole lot of determination transformed me into a creator, proving it’s never too late to chase a dream.
The Spark: A Vision for Education
It all started one evening, scrolling through YouTube, when an ad for the World’s Largest Hackathon caught my eye. I’d always believed education could be more engaging—think voice quizzes in multiple languages, collaborative coding for kids, and AI-driven stories that spark imagination. But as a retired, self-taught tinkerer with no coding background, I doubted I could build something real. Still, the promise of Bolt.new’s AI tools and a builder’s pack with credits for Tavus, ElevenLabs, and more lit a fire in me. I thought, “If not now, when?” So, I signed up on Devpost, heart racing, ready to leap into the unknown.
The Grind: Building EduSphere AI
With my low-spec laptop and a Hisense U61 phone as my testing ground, I dove into EduSphere AI. The goal? Create an all-in-one platform with voice quizzes, real-time coding, AI storytelling, AR problems, and a teacher dashboard. I used React, Supabase, and Netlify, leaning heavily on Bolt.new’s AI to generate code I could barely understand at first. The builder’s pack—8,000 Bolt tokens, $25 Dappier credits, and more—felt like a treasure chest, but I had to learn fast.
The journey wasn’t smooth. Netlify function errors (like 404s for voiceQuiz.cjs) kept me up at night. My first attempt at real-time coding in LiveCode.tsx didn’t sync properly, and hardcoded API keys in auth.cjs caused security headaches. I wrestled with npm errors installing netlify-cli, but with online forums and sheer persistence, I fixed them. Each bug felt like a mountain, but every fix was a victory. I learned to set up environment variables, debug React Router warnings, and integrate RevenueCat for premium features like ElevenLabs audio in StoryMode.tsx. By the end, I had a working demo at https://iridescent-gaufre-1c3ffd.netlify.app/, rough but real.
The Heart: What I Learned
This hackathon taught me I’m more capable than I thought. At 58, with no coding chops, I built something meaningful—a platform that could help kids learn, teachers track progress, and parents stay connected. I learned:
Resilience: Errors like “ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND” tested my patience, but I found solutions by breaking problems into smaller pieces, just like I did in life after retirement.
Community Power: The DEV Community and Bolt Discord were lifelines. Strangers shared tips, cheered me on, and reminded me I wasn’t alone.
AI’s Magic: Bolt.new turned my ideas into code, Dappier helped test content, and ElevenLabs gave stories a voice. AI made my lack of coding skills irrelevant.
Purpose: Building for education gave me a renewed sense of purpose. I want EduSphere AI to inspire kids like my younger self, who loved a challenge but needed a spark.
The Meaning: A New Chapter
This hackathon was more than a competition—it was a turning point. I went from “I can’t code” to “I built an app.” I’m not just a retired guy anymore; I’m a creator with a vision to make money online and maybe start a business. EduSphere AI isn’t perfect—mobile layouts need polish, and I’m still chasing those Netlify functions (realtime.cjs, narrative.cjs)—but it’s a start. I’m already planning version 2.0, with more languages for voice quizzes and better accessibility, inspired by StoryMode.tsx’s high-contrast mode.
The World’s Largest Hackathon showed me that age, experience, or tech know-how don’t define you—your willingness to try does. To anyone reading this, especially those who feel “too old” or “too new,” jump in. You might just surprise yourself. For me, EduSphere AI is my first step toward a bigger dream: a world where learning is joyful, inclusive, and within everyone’s reach. Thank you, Bolt.new and DEV, for giving this 58-year-old a chance to shine.
Submission Details:
Project: EduSphere AI
Demo: https://iridescent-gaufre-1c3ffd.netlify.app/
GitHub: https://github.com/alljaybly/Bolt-EduSphere-AI
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