North Carolina A&T State University recently became the .
Along with teaching college students AI literacy, educators at the university are also working on doing the same with students under 18.
The public HBCU is part of a to boost AI education. The $25 million project includes ten states across the U.S., all working to develop an AI curriculum for K-12 students.
Mark Light is the co-chair of the initiative and the specialist at N.C. A&T. He said the curriculum will change depending on the students鈥� age.
Elementary to middle school-aged students will learn about the building blocks of AI, such as how it鈥檚 created, where the data comes from, and how it鈥檚 utilized. Light said one way they plan to teach this information to younger students is through the video game Minecraft.
鈥淢inecraft is one of those things that they get excited about,鈥� Light said. 鈥淎nd so, you do what I call stealth STEM. Where you sneak the STEM into an activity such as a robot, a video game, a drone, something that they find interesting. And then you teach the STEM perspectives, in this case artificial intelligence, by hiding it within a game.鈥�
Since high school students likely have more experience with artificial intelligence, their arm of the curriculum will focus on how to use AI tools responsibly.
Light said there is a lot of fear about students using AI to cheat or shortcut assignments, similar to how the introduction of calculators in the classroom were once looked at as a negative.
鈥淲e thought no kids are going to learn math anymore if we let the calculators into the classroom,鈥� Light said. 鈥淣ow, most of our high school students have to buy calculators to go to school. And so, if we look at it from that mindset, that AI is a tool and we can use it for positive or negative use 鈥� that鈥檚 one approach we鈥檙e trying to do with this AI education.鈥�
The curriculum will also be shaped by three lenses: agriculture, equity, and the foundation of AI. Light said the committee decided on these focus areas to address gaps in AI education and resources that are already available.
Another gap the initiative seeks to address is AI literacy among underserved populations. Light said there are several tech hubs in North Carolina where neighboring school districts readily have access to AI resources and technology. But that鈥檚 not the same for rural parts of the state.
鈥淲e have some digital divide,鈥� Light said. 鈥淏y filling those gaps, then those students become prepared as well for the challenges and careers in their future, and they won鈥檛 be left behind.鈥�
N.C. A&T State鈥檚 4-H program works in all 100 counties in North Carolina, as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokees.
Overall, North Carolina鈥檚 goal is to reach 15,000 youth across the state by the initiative鈥檚 end in May 2026. There鈥檚 also a goal to train 2,000 adults in AI education within that same time frame.
Light said the initiative will equip both teens and educators with AI training to help reach this objective. For educators, this could include training in school districts and conferences.
High school students will be trained to teach the curriculum to other youth and adults in their communities.
鈥淚f I come into a classroom, maybe they鈥檙e listening,鈥� Light said. 鈥淏ut if a peer comes into the classroom, there鈥檚 that understanding and they鈥檙e more open to learning content because they鈥檙e being taught by a teen.鈥�
Light said the hope is to have 35 teen leads this year.
Each of the ten states involved in the initiative will test the curriculum in their respective programs. After that, Light said the plan is to develop a national platform that can be used across the U.S.
鈥淭hen, that鈥檒l be available for any youth and family that wants to learn about AI education,鈥� Light said. 鈥淪o, this grant keeps having a reciprocal effect to where it鈥檚 not just North Carolina, it鈥檚 not just the 10 states, but eventually we鈥檒l be able to reach all youth and families.鈥�
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