AI for All: Building the Nationwide Pipeline from Classroom to Workforce

The United States faces a growing gap between demand for artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and the capacity of K–12 education to deliver it. Despite the rapid expansion of AI across virtually every industry sector, most high school educators lack the training to teach AI concepts, and most students graduate without meaningful exposure to this transformative technology. This project addresses that gap by integrating AI education into high school classrooms, empowering teachers, engaging students in hands-on learning, and connecting students to real workforce opportunities. By doing so, the project advances national priorities articulated in Executive Order 14277, "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth," and contributes to U.S. competitiveness in the global AI economy. The project employs a train-the-trainer model organized around four objectives. First, twenty high school teachers will be trained over three years through "AI on Saturdays," a 14-week professional development program in Python programming, machine learning, and AI application development, followed by curriculum design studios that produce standards-aligned, adaptable instructional modules. Second, participating teachers will deliver a 14-week AI skills program to their students in grades 11 and 12, covering foundational programming, AI and machine learning concepts, and real-world applications using industry-standard tools. Third, students will develop professional competencies, including communication, collaboration, leadership, and career readiness, through structured feedback activities, an industry speaker series, and a Make-a-Thon innovation challenge. Fourth, 20 students per year (60 total) will complete eight-week paid internships with partner technology companies and university research labs, translating classroom learning into direct workforce experience. A mentorship model pairing faculty, graduate students, and a Penn State Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS) faculty member with teachers and students ensures continuity across all levels of the pipeline. All curricular materials will be made freely available online, and findings will be disseminated through publications, conferences, and a public project website, ensuring the framework is accessible to educators and institutions nationwide. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2603854 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Somayeh Asadi | Institution: University of Virginia Main Campus, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | Award Amount: $1,000,000 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2603854 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2603854.html