GSHS’s McClung, Petitjhan, Caldwell will represent Alabama at AI Youth Fest in Boston

GSHS’s McClung, Petitjhan, Caldwell will represent Alabama at AI Youth Fest in Boston

Jamie McClung, who teaches computer science and coaches the Gulf Shores High School robotics and cybersecurity teams, will be representing Alabama as an educator and two of his students, Cody Caldwell and Jadelynn Petitjean, will be there representing their state as students at the July 17-19 America’s Youth AI Festival at MIT and UMass in Boston and Cambridge.
Only two students and one school leader from each state were invited to convene in Boston for the Leadership and Innovation Fellowship.
Students will work with the team at the Edward M. Kennedy nstitute for the U.S. Senate to pass a first-of-its-kind National AI Policy for K-12 classrooms and school leaders will learn about the latest AI breakthroughs from experts, including Dr. Cynthia Breazeal of MIT, one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in AI.
The Fellowship will bring together representatives from across the U.S. – two high school “Student Senators” from each state, and 50 school system leaders, for the three-day leadership residency on AI. The 100 “student senators” and 50 school leaders will explore how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly, ethically, and productively in schools, communities, and with the broader society that students will inherit.
The participants will be separated into two groups. Student Senators will gather at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute to deliberate and pass a new “National AI Policy” for public K-12 classrooms, which AASA will share with its network of 10,000 school leaders following the event.
Student voice is a key element in AI implementation, but is often overlooked. Students will offer their insight on how AI should be incorporated and taught throughout the country. Their work will have real-world impact – a policy made for students, by students.
The 50 school leaders will participate in workshops discuss best practices and learn about responsible AI implementation, school system leadership, and the future of K–12 education.
In addition to the Student Senate, the Festival weekend includes a “Me, Myself, and AI” student art contest, with winners showcased at the MIT Museum; an “AI for a Better World” competition, with five winning student teams sharing their solutions to community and global problems at the MIT Media Lab; an AI-enabled art performance; and a welcome reception at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
“Artificial intelligence is already shaping the world in which students are maturing, and young people deserve a meaningful voice in how that future is built,” said Jeff Riley, Executive Director of Day of AI and former Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “This national class of Student Senators represents an extraordinary opportunity to listen to students not as passive users of technology, but as leaders, citizens, and problem-solvers.”
“Students need more than access to AI tools – they need the knowledge, confidence, and ethical foundation to understand and shape this technology,” said Dr. Breazeal. “America’s Youth AI Festival reflects a shared commitment to making AI education engaging, responsible, and available to all students.”
“School system leaders are facing urgent questions about how to prepare students and educators for a future shaped by artificial intelligence,” said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA. “This fellowship ensures that those conversations are grounded in student voice, as well as real classroom experience.”
“We believe civic life is strengthened when young people have the opportunity to participate, deliberate, and lead,” said Sarah Yezzi, the event’s chief education officer. “We are proud to facilitate their deliberation as they craft policy proposals on how artificial intelligence should shape their schools, communities, and futures.”