Students are excelling in the world of AI.
A Catholic high school situated on Long Island has partnered with a prestigious law school to improve artificial intelligence education for teenagers, empowering them to be more informed and responsible in their use of cutting-edge technology.
“This collaboration will really assist in navigating the new landscape we’ve grown up in,” expressed Chaminade senior John Durham about the partnership with Washington University School of Law.
“It’s also important to use technology properly — as a tool rather than a crutch,” he emphasized.
Months after a group of Chaminade students successfully created their own AI language model, called “Buddy Bot,” which aided in reducing screen time and combating doomscrolling habits, the two institutions have combined efforts.
“Our friends have actually decreased their phone usage since then,” shared Ty Miranda, one of the co-creators and a sophomore.
“My weekly screen time has dropped by around five hours now,” added Andrew Runje Dargento, a 10th grader who was also involved in developing the app.
Their award-winning software drew the attention of Oliver Roberts, a noted constitutional lawyer and Chaminade class of 2014 graduate, who teaches at the highly regarded law school that is ranked 14th nationally by US News & World Report.
He facilitated the partnership, stating that, “Chaminade was the most significant educational experience of my life.” Roberts added that Dean Stefanie Lindquist was quickly enthusiastic about the collaboration.
“Collaborating with Chaminade sends a strong message: the leadership in AI and responsible utilization starts before entering college,” she remarked.
The initial initiative, which is still being fine-tuned for long-term implementation, kicks off with a writing contest for 12th graders, soon followed by a similar competition for 11th graders, where students will contemplate the future of AI, particularly its role in education.
A select few winners will be chosen by Chaminade staff and forwarded to Washington University, which will honor the outstanding students with recognition.
“We seek to draw heavily from higher education, as our students truly engage with that approach,” noted Gregory Kay, chief academic officer at Chaminade, adding that students are already highly interested in AI studies.
“While many other schools prohibited the use of ChatGPT in 2022 after its surge in popularity, we chose to embrace it and explore ways to incorporate it into our program.”
Chaminade has creatively employed various educational chatbots, such as allowing them to respond as historical figures or assist students in larger classroom settings.
“It provides a personalized tutoring experience,” he explained, mentioning that there are still effective methods to detect plagiarism and AI-generated work submitted by students.
Durham, Miranda, Dargento, and their classmate, senior Fin Galligan, openly acknowledged their daily use of ChatGPT.
The students utilize it for their academic work, insisting that it doesn’t simply provide answers. Galligan, editor-in-chief of the school’s yearbook, is also leveraging it for graphic design purposes.
“We had it brainstorm new ideas for the yearbook cover,” he explained. “It was immensely helpful since, let’s face it, we aren’t graphic design experts,” he joked.
On a more profound note, Galligan is keen on exploring the future of AI and is considering writing his essay on its potential impact on his generation as they transition into the workforce.
“As we prepare for college, we need to start contemplating how our future jobs and majors will be influenced by AI,” he stated.
