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When a frustrated 4-year-old yelled at an Amazon Alexa for failing to tell the exact story she imagined—one about her favorite princess going to swimming class—a seed of inspiration was planted. This moment became the foundation for an MS in Applied Data Science capstone project. Recognizing how children crave personalized, meaningful stories yet face limitations with existing technology, a team of students decided to take on the challenge. Their solution? Once Upon, an AI-powered storytelling app designed to bring a child’s creativity to life.

“That experience showed how much children want to hear stories that are unique and personally meaningful to them,” the team shared, “yet existing technology struggled to meet that need.”

The team—Hima Cheruvu, Nia Gangar, Rishika Ravindran, and Christian Piantanida—set out to build an app that wouldn’t just tell stories, but would empower children to shape their own. Once Upon uses artificial intelligence to generate dynamic, age-appropriate stories based on prompts provided by a child, transforming their ideas into engaging narratives.

Bringing Data Science to Life

The capstone project, which spans two academic quarters, immerses students in a real-world challenge where they apply their data science skills to develop innovative solutions for real clients. Designed to simulate the full lifecycle of a data science project—from concept to execution—it gave the team an opportunity to showcase the power of data science in an accessible and impactful way.

The team described their approach:

  • Machine Learning & Natural Language Processing (NLP): These techniques powered the app’s ability to craft personalized, child-friendly stories in real-time.
  • Data Engineering: A robust pipeline was designed to seamlessly handle user prompts and model outputs.
  • Collaboration & Iterative Design: By gathering feedback from potential users—children, parents, and educators—the team refined Once Upon to be intuitive, engaging, and fun.

“This hands-on project really cemented our ability to translate technical knowledge into real-world solutions,” the team explained. The capstone project served as a culmination of their learning, bridging theory with practical application.

A Standout Experience

So, what made Once Upon stand out at the capstone showcase?

According to the team, it was the combination of creativity, technology, and user engagement. “We didn’t just present a product; we created an experience,” they said. By allowing judges to interact with the app—choosing their own prompts and seeing stories come to life in real-time—the team demonstrated the magic of their AI-powered tool.

The judges were drawn to the app’s ability to solve a relatable problem: children’s desire for stories that reflect their imaginations. The team’s energetic presentation, whimsical theme, and innovative technology resonated with the audience, earning them Best in Show recognition and making Once Upon a highlight of the Capstone Showcase.

Final Reflections

For the team, the capstone showcase marked a rewarding culmination of their journey through the MS in Applied Data Science program.

“It was exciting to see so many creative projects and to share Once Upon with the judges and our peers,” they reflected. “We’re incredibly proud of what we accomplished and grateful for the opportunity to apply the skills we’ve developed in such a meaningful way.”

With Once Upon, the team not only demonstrated their technical expertise but also showed how data science can inspire creativity, innovation, and meaningful impact—one story at a time.

For those interested in a deeper dive into Once Upon, you can explore the GitHub repository and watch the video demo showcasing the app in action.

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