In a day and age where mobile device users can download apps for every minor or major problem, those in need of a conscience or a character coach can also rest assured as “there’s an app for that.”

The Hyde to Go app, created by students, faculty, staff and alumni at Hyde Boarding School in Bath, is also aptly dubbed “Your Portable Conscience” for the life lessons and advice users can easily access through the app for an encouraging pick-me-up. Topics ranging from ethics, parenting, leadership tips and everything in between.

Hyde’s president and CEO Malcolm Gauld said he began brainstorming ideas for the app in March after recalling the words of a former faculty member who stressed the importance of character development. “I thought maybe we ought to gather the lessons we’ve tossed here over the years … to make some effort to gather them and put them in one place,” he said. “The great thing about an app … is that it allows you to do that.”

The free app, which was recently launched last month, offers a variety of what Gauld describes as twoto three minute “booster shots of character” listed under six different categories according to what topic users are interested in at the moment.

App topics are not only relatable to students, but parents as well, which reflects the strengths of Hyde’s family program, according to communications director Jenny Collinson.

“The Biggest Job” category, named after Gauld’s book titled “The Biggest Job You’ll Ever Have: The Hyde School Program for Character- Based Education and Parenting,” is entirely devoted to advice and stories on parenting.

“It’s a big deal for us to serve (the parents) and find out what they need,” Collinson said. “It’s not just us that are teaching their kids. The home is a primary classroom is the philosophy the school is based on, so if we can help the parents, that will in turn help the students succeed.”

For the other categories, Gauld said he and and faculty members selected the best lessons and stories by reflecting on past meetings and combing through old newsletters and other resources. After the stories were compiled and edited, they were also recorded for the app’s audio feature.

As of Tuesday, the app was downloaded 110 times through Apple and between 10-50 times through Google Play.

Gauld hopes to add more stories to the app in the future and improvements to the audio are already in works, with the aid of a Hyde alumnus who will help re-record the stories and add background music to the app in the fall.

Overall, Collinson said the project drew a lot of participation from the Hyde community and they expect others will continue to contribute to the app in the future.

“It was really fun to make because it got the whole community involved, so that’s been really cool,” she said.

Collinson also described the whole experience as a “learning curve.” She shared that the timeline of project had been prolonged several months before the app was released in June, missing the original release date which was slated for graduation this year.

Either way, Susa Breese, a Hyde student and intern who helped design the visual components of the app, expects the app will be sought out by recent graduates who hope to stay connected to the school.

“That guidance when you get while you’re a student here … is still there when you can’t find it out there in the world,” she said, regarding the app. “Or if you’re looking for it, you can go back and get that guidance.”

Although the app was created for the community of the Bath boarding school and its second campus in Woodstock, Connecticut, Kate Foye, a Hyde alumna, faculty member and a Hyde parent, was confident that all individuals would find the app useful, even those who are not affiliated with Hyde.

“It’s exciting to be able to offer Hyde to anybody (who) wants to be a part of it — that it’s not just something that’s within the gates of Hyde School in Bath or in Woodstock,” she said. “It’s something everyone can listen to and relate to and bring into their own lives.”

To download the free app, search for “Hyde to Go” in iTunes or Google Play.

dkim@timesrecord.com