DEARBORN 6-12 STEM ACADEMY HOSTS MIT ‘DAY OF AI’ EVENT IN COLLABORATION WITH AMAZON FUTURE ENGINEER

BOSTON – Monday, May 22, 2023 – Last week, the Dearborn 6-12 STEM Academy, in collaboration with Amazon Future Engineer, hosted a flagship event to celebrate MIT RAISE's "Day of AI." This event introduced students to the fundamentals and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) through an engaging curriculum designed by MIT researchers. Speakers from MIT and Amazon emphasized to students the significance of STEM and AI education, discussed their groundbreaking work in these fields and provided valuable insights into career opportunities in the technology sector.

 

Jerome Smith, Amazon Head of Community Engagement for New England, presented Boston Public Schools with an Amazon community grant worth $25,000 to bolster the District's Innovation and Early College Pathways programming. 

 

"We are thrilled to witness the collaboration between MIT, Amazon Future Engineer, and Dearborn 6-12 STEM Academy," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. "This 'Day of AI' event is an exciting opportunity for students to engage with the innovative world of artificial intelligence, strengthening their knowledge and skills in STEM fields. By providing access to high-quality educational experiences like this, we can inspire our students to become the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders in the technology industry. We are grateful to MIT and Amazon Future Engineer for their dedication to enhancing educational opportunities for our students."

 

Through Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon's global philanthropic computer science education program, the event also featured a hands-on voice AI coding lesson, with students using the Alexa Skills Inventor program on MIT App Inventor to code their own Alexa Skills with block code, making it easy for them to master voice AI basics. 

 

"Amazon and MIT share a commitment to helping students discover a world of possibilities through STEM and AI Education. We are thrilled to partner with them and Boston Public Schools for the 'Day of AI' to help students build fundamental coding skills and learn the basics of voice AI through our Alexa Skills Inventor program," said Amazon Global Director of Philanthropic Education Initiatives Victor Reinoso. "AI has been a driving force at Amazon for 25 years, and there's a lot of current excitement around the technological revolution with generative AI and large language models (LLMs), so we’re excited to help students explore careers of the future and navigate the pathways available to them."

 

Over 6,000 K-12 educators from all 50 states and 100+ countries registered to access the "Day of AI" curriculum. Lessons and activities include "What is AI?," "ChatGPT in School," "Teachable Machines," "AI and Social Media," "Data Science and Me," and more.

 

"We are delighted to collaborate with MIT and Amazon Future Engineer to host this 'Day of AI' event," said Dearborn 6-12 STEM Academy School Leader Darlene Marcano. "By introducing students to the world of artificial intelligence and fostering their interest in STEM fields, we are equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed for future success."

 

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