AI Programs for Middle School Students
Project-Based AI Programming for Kids Developed and Taught by Stanford and MIT Graduates
AI Pioneers for Middle School Students in Grades 5-8
In this 30-hour, in-person program, students dive into training AI to understand language, fight COVID-19, drive independently, and more! As they learn to program AI in Python and RunDexter, they apply algorithms to real-world datasets, discuss AI ethics and careers, and build interactive web apps to deploy their machine learning models.
No prior programming or computer science background required! However, an interest in learning how to write code (specifically Python) is appreciated.
AI Pioneers Course Features
Interactive activities to introduce new technical concepts (i.e. chatbots and recommender systems).
Discussions on the social impact of AI to develop students’ critical thinking skills.
Guided coding explorations in which students apply AI to real-world problems in Python.
AI project work as students complete a multi-session AI for Social Good project.
Silicon Valley Program Logistics
Location: Inspirit AI Hub at 335 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301
Program Tuition: $2,200 USD
Prerequisites: Students in grades 5-8. Beginners are welcome, and advanced cohorts are available.
Apply Now: inspirit-bryant.paperform.co
Contact: Jared Greene, Program Director,
jaredgreene@inspiritai.com
Spring 2025
Program Schedule
Spring Break 1: daily, March 31 - April 4, 2025, 9:00am - 4:00pm (1-hour lunch break with the faculty)
Late Spring 1: Fridays, April 4 - June 6, 2025, 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Late Spring 2: Saturdays, April 5 - June 7, 2025, 9:00am - 12:00pm
Summer 2025 Program Schedule
Summer 1: daily, June 9 - 13, 2025, 9:00am - 4:00pm (1-hour lunch break with the faculty)
Summer 2: weekdays, June 16 - 27, 2025, 8:00am - 11:00am
Summer 3: weekdays, June 16 - 27, 2025, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Summer 4: daily, July 7 - 11, 2025, 9:00am - 4:00pm (1-hour lunch break with the faculty)
Summer 5: weekdays, July 14 - 25, 2025, 8:00am - 11:00am
Summer 6: weekdays, July 14 - 25, 2025, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Project Highlights in 2025
Disease Diagnosis
Students delve into the applications of AI in healthcare, including diagnosing medical conditions and tracing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chatbots for Good
Students learn how chatbots and voice assistants like Siri and Alexa are built, and then deploy their own versions.
Self-Driving Cars
Students understand the different technologies that go into self-driving cars, and train their own models to navigate the road.
Sustainable Apps
Students think about the ways AI can be applied to environmental sustainability, and build their own recycling sorter app.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Leaders: From High School to Higher Education
Our AI Scholars come from schools from around the world and often attend the world’s most prestigious higher education institutions. Here is a snapshot of some of our students’ journeys from Harker School, Palo Alto High School, Lynbrook High School, Homestead High School, Menlo School, The Nueva School, Evergreen Valley High School, Castilleja, Bellarmine College Preparatory, and more.
AI Pioneers Curriculum Overview
Program Structure
The program typically runs as a 10-session experiential bootcamp that exposes students to fundamental concepts, applications of AI and guides them to work on a hands-on project in a domain of their choice.
