diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index da31040..a64f604 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 3. ...
 
 ## Slides and Resources
-
+hello world
 ## Running this project
 
 This is the finished project for ACM Hack School 2025.\
diff --git a/server/config/server.js b/server/config/server.js
index ba457eb..0c34aee 100644
--- a/server/config/server.js
+++ b/server/config/server.js
@@ -10,3 +10,10 @@ const config = {
 };
 
 module.exports = config;
+
+
+const mongoose = require('mongoose');
+mongoose
+  .connect(config.DB_URL)
+  .then(() => console.log('Connected to MongoDB'))
+  .catch((err) => console.error('Error connecting to MongoDB: ', err));
diff --git a/server/controllers/pollController.js b/server/controllers/pollController.js
index 5e8e420..0d0a956 100644
--- a/server/controllers/pollController.js
+++ b/server/controllers/pollController.js
@@ -1,25 +1,28 @@
-const Poll = require('../models/Poll');
+// TODO
+// ACTIVITY - Refactor all controller functions to handle requests!
 
-const getPolls = async (req, res) => {
-  const poll = await Poll.find();
+const Poll = require("../models/Poll");
 
-  console.log('Returning polls list...');
-  res.status(200).json(poll);
+// add req, res to parameters
+const getPolls = async () => {
+  const poll = await Poll.find();
+  console.log("Returning polls list...");
+  return poll; // refactor for 200 status code response
 };
 
-const getPoll = async (req, res) => {
-  const { id } = req.params;
+// replace id with req, res in parameters
+const getPoll = async (id) => {
+  // extract id from req.params
   const poll = await Poll.findById(id);
 
   console.log(`Returning poll ${id}`);
-  res.status(200).json(poll);
+  return poll; // refactor for 200 status code response
 };
 
-const postPoll = async (req, res) => {
-  const { ownerId, title, description, options } = req.body;
-
-  if (!ownerId || !title || !options)
-    return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Invalid request' });
+// replace {} parameter with req, res
+const postPoll = async ({ ownerId, title, description, options }) => {
+  // extract poll information from req
+  if (!ownerId || !title || !options) return; // replace with 404 Error
 
   const poll = new Poll({
     ownerId: ownerId,
@@ -29,31 +32,28 @@ const postPoll = async (req, res) => {
   });
 
   await poll.save();
-
-  res.status(200).json(poll);
+  return poll; // replace with status code 200 response
 };
 
-const postVote = async (req, res) => {
-  const { pollId, optionId } = req.body;
-
-  if (!pollId || !optionId)
-    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid request' });
+// replace pollId and optionId with req, res
+const postVote = async ({ pollId, optionId }) => {
+  // extract pollId and optionId from req
+  if (!pollId || !optionId) return; // update for 400 Error
 
   const updateOption = await Poll.updateOne(
-    { _id: pollId, 'options._id': optionId },
+    { _id: pollId, "options._id": optionId },
     {
-      $inc: { 'options.$.count': 1, totalVotes: 1 },
+      $inc: { "options.$.count": 1, totalVotes: 1 },
     }
   );
 
-  if (updateOption.modifiedCount == 0)
-    return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Failed to update poll' });
+  if (updateOption.modifiedCount == 0) return "Error: failed to update poll"; // update for 400 Error
 
   const updatedPoll = await Poll.findById(pollId);
 
   console.log(`Vote cast for ${pollId} on option ${optionId}`);
 
-  res.status(200).json(updatedPoll);
+  return updatedPoll; // update for status code 200 res
 };
 
 module.exports = { getPolls, getPoll, postPoll, postVote };
diff --git a/server/models/Poll.js b/server/models/Poll.js
index 0a9ebcb..e69de29 100644
--- a/server/models/Poll.js
+++ b/server/models/Poll.js
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-const mongoose = require('mongoose');
-
-const OptionSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
-  {
-    option: String,
-    count: Number,
-  },
-  { _id: true }
-);
-
-const PollSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
-  {
-    ownerId: {
-      type: String,
-      required: true,
-    },
-    title: {
-      type: String,
-      required: true,
-    },
-    description: String,
-    options: [OptionSchema],
-    totalVotes: Number,
-  },
-  { id: true }
-);
-
-const Poll = mongoose.model('Poll', PollSchema);
-
-module.exports = Poll;
diff --git a/server/package-lock.json b/server/package-lock.json
index cf1192f..0e3b08b 100644
--- a/server/package-lock.json
+++ b/server/package-lock.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
         "cors": "^2.8.5",
         "express": "^5.1.0",
         "mongodb": "^6.18.0",
-        "mongoose": "^8.17.0"
+        "mongoose": "^8.19.2"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "dotenv": "^17.2.1",
@@ -714,13 +714,14 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/mongodb": {
-      "version": "6.18.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb/-/mongodb-6.18.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-fO5ttN9VC8P0F5fqtQmclAkgXZxbIkYRTUi1j8JO6IYwvamkhtYDilJr35jOPELR49zqCJgXZWwCtW7B+TM8vQ==",
+      "version": "6.20.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb/-/mongodb-6.20.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Tl6MEIU3K4Rq3TSHd+sZQqRBoGlFsOgNrH5ltAcFBV62Re3Fd+FcaVf8uSEQFOJ51SDowDVttBTONMfoYWrWlQ==",
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@mongodb-js/saslprep": "^1.1.9",
+        "@mongodb-js/saslprep": "^1.3.0",
         "bson": "^6.10.4",
-        "mongodb-connection-string-url": "^3.0.0"
+        "mongodb-connection-string-url": "^3.0.2"
       },
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=16.20.1"
@@ -731,7 +732,7 @@
         "gcp-metadata": "^5.2.0",
         "kerberos": "^2.0.1",
         "mongodb-client-encryption": ">=6.0.0 <7",
-        "snappy": "^7.2.2",
+        "snappy": "^7.3.2",
         "socks": "^2.7.1"
       },
       "peerDependenciesMeta": {
@@ -768,13 +769,14 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/mongoose": {
-      "version": "8.17.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongoose/-/mongoose-8.17.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-mxW6TBPHViORfNYOFXCVOnT4d5aRr+CgDxTs1ViYXfuHzNpkelgJQrQa+Lz6hofoEQISnKlXv1L3ZnHyJRkhfA==",
+      "version": "8.19.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongoose/-/mongoose-8.19.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ww2T4dBV+suCbOfG5YPwj9pLCfUVyj8FEA1D3Ux1HHqutpLxGyOYEPU06iPRBW4cKr3PJfOSYsIpHWPTkz5zig==",
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "bson": "^6.10.4",
         "kareem": "2.6.3",
-        "mongodb": "~6.18.0",
+        "mongodb": "~6.20.0",
         "mpath": "0.9.0",
         "mquery": "5.0.0",
         "ms": "2.1.3",
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 4329b39..306cc97 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
   "scripts": {
     "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
     "start": "node server.js",
-    "dev": "nodemon server.js"
+    "dev": "nodemon server.js",
+    "testController": "nodemon testController.js",
+    "testSchema": "node testSchema.js"
   },
   "author": "",
   "license": "ISC",
@@ -18,6 +20,6 @@
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "express": "^5.1.0",
     "mongodb": "^6.18.0",
-    "mongoose": "^8.17.0"
+    "mongoose": "^8.19.2"
   }
 }
diff --git a/server/routes/router.js b/server/routes/router.js
index 8eed671..9e540ce 100644
--- a/server/routes/router.js
+++ b/server/routes/router.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const express = require('express');
 const router = express.Router();
 
+// ACTIVITY: Create routes that call controller functions when rrequested
 const pollController = require('../controllers/pollController');
 
 router.get('/polls/id/:id', pollController.getPoll);
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 07b76fc..5805824 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
-const express = require('express');
-const cors = require('cors');
-const config = require('./config/server');
-const router = require('./routes/router');
-const mongoose = require('mongoose');
+const express = require("express");
+const cors = require("cors");
+const config = require("./config/server");
+const router = require("./routes/router");
 
 const server = express();
 
 server.use(cors());
 server.use(express.json());
 
-server.use('/api', router);
+server.use("/api", router);
 
-mongoose
-  .connect(config.DB_URL)
-  .then(() => console.log('Connected to MongoDB'))
-  .catch((err) => console.error('Error connecting to MongoDB: ', err));
+// TODO
+// SETUP ACTIVITY: Put the code to connect to MongoDB below!
 
+// END SETUP ACTIVITY
 server.listen(config.PORT, () => {
-  console.log('Server started listening on PORT ' + config.PORT);
+  console.log("Server started listening on PORT " + config.PORT);
 });
diff --git a/server/testController.js b/server/testController.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f4f096
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/testController.js
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+const mongoose = require("mongoose");
+const dotenv = require("dotenv");
+dotenv.config();
+// create config object witH PORT
+const config = {
+  PORT: process.env.PORT,
+  DB_URL: process.env.DB_URL,
+};
+mongoose
+  .connect(config.DB_URL)
+  .then(() => console.log("Connected to MongoDB"))
+  .catch((err) => console.error("Error connecting to MongoDB: ", err));
+
+// Uncomment this code block to test getPolls
+
+// const { getPolls } = require("./controllers/pollController");
+
+// (async () => {
+//   console.log("Running getPolls()...");
+//   const result = await getPolls();
+//   console.log(result);
+// })();
+
+// Uncomment this code block to test getPoll
+
+// const { getPoll } = require("./controllers/pollController");
+
+// (async () => {
+//   console.log("Running getPoll()...");
+//   const result = await getPoll("67144a73c527df736fbe5eac");
+//   console.log(result);
+// })();
+
+// Uncomment this code block to test postPoll
+
+// const { postPoll } = require("./controllers/pollController");
+
+// (async () => {
+//   console.log("Running postPoll()...");
+//   const result = await postPoll({
+//     ownerId: "Tyler",
+//     title: "Tyler's poll",
+//     description: "Tyler's poll description",
+//     options: [
+//       {
+//         option: "Poll option #1",
+//         count: 0,
+//       },
+//     ],
+//   });
+//   console.log(result);
+// })();
+
+// Uncomment this code block to test postVote
+
+// const { postVote } = require("./controllers/pollController");
+
+// (async () => {
+//   console.log("Running postVote()...");
+//   const result = await postVote(
+//     {
+//       pollId: "67144a73c527df736fbe5eac",
+//       optionId: "67144a73c527df736fbe5ead",
+//     },
+//     {}
+//   );
+//   console.log(result);
+// })();
diff --git a/server/testSchema.js b/server/testSchema.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..073d846
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/testSchema.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+const mongoose = require("mongoose");
+const dotenv = require("dotenv");
+dotenv.config();
+// create config object witH PORT
+const config = {
+  PORT: process.env.PORT,
+  DB_URL: process.env.DB_URL,
+};
+mongoose
+  .connect(config.DB_URL)
+  .then(() => console.log("Connected to MongoDB"))
+  .catch((err) => console.error("Error connecting to MongoDB: ", err));
+
+const Poll = require("./models/Poll");
+
+const testSchema = async (req, res) => {
+  const poll = new Poll({
+    _id: mongoose.Types.ObjectId.createFromHexString(
+      "67144a73c527df736fbe5eac"
+    ),
+    ownerId: "Your name!",
+    title: "Your awesome poll title!",
+    description: "A meh poll description",
+    options: [
+      {
+        option: "Poll option 1",
+        count: 0,
+        _id: mongoose.Types.ObjectId.createFromHexString(
+          "67144a73c527df736fbe5ead"
+        ),
+      },
+    ],
+  });
+  await poll.save();
+  console.log("Success!");
+};
+
+testSchema();