STEM students from the Irvine and Tustin unified school districts were awarded for their dynamic innovations at this year’s Intel Global Impact Festival after participating in the Careers in AI Program.
Led by the CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County, this program has brought technical training opportunities to students with the help of the Orange County Department of Education’s OC Pathways and Intel’s AI for Workforce program, along with the chance to internationally compete with projects designed in their school’s regional occupation programs.
The winning scholars were recognized at the Coastline Regional Occupational Program board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20 for their extracurricular achievements. Tustin Unified students Suhina Chand and Mahita Adluri attended with their teammate, Irvine Unified student Keyon Jazayeri to represent their project, “Noted! – Scanner, Transcriber, and AI Sorting Technology.”
Next generation of STEM professionals
This past summer, students participated in the Careers in AI program where they researched and assembled their artificial intelligence innovations with the help of CLAOC mentors and Coastline ROP instructors. After constructing their designs, the students presented them at the Intel AI Global Impact Festival.
The annual competition recognizes and celebrates the next generation of STEM professionals and teachers for their digital readiness and technical skills.
With more than 1,000 international entries, the team was chosen as a ‘Country/Region/Territory’ winner representing the U.S. in the AI Impact Creators category for students age 13 through 18. Irvine Unified student Abhishek Rao was also recognized in the ‘Country/Region/Territory’ category for the project, “Asteroid Mining with CV.”
For their winning project, Suhina, Mahita and Keyon will each receive $1,000 in prizes and a certificate from Intel. Abhishek will also be given an Intel certificate and a $500 cash award.
“The Careers in AI program has helped me explore new avenues and become interested in artificial intelligence. I can proudly say that this program has encouraged me as a girl to be less intimidated by STEM and computer science,” Chand said. “This program gives you multiple resources to help you take your concept to full fruition and it exceptionally clarified what AI could do for our future.”
Access to the field of artificial intelligence
CLAOC, a CEO membership organization, has piloted multiple Orange County programs to support students’ talents and prepare them for the expanding innovation workforce. One of its goals is to ensure every student has access to learn and build their AI technical skills while working to strengthen and diversify the local AI industry.
Amy Kaufman, Senior Vice President at CLAOC said, “With a clear focus on racial and gender diversity, CLAOC unites civic and business leaders, AI-focused entrepreneurs, and education organizations to cultivate and recruit the diverse talent needed now, and in the future, to support a robust AI-infused economy in OC.”
In its work with OC Pathways, CLAOC has helped implement AI training for K-12 school districts. It has also created internships, career exploration experiences and capstone projects for high school, community college and university students to connect with an expansive business network and gain valuable work experience.
The CLAOC team collaborates with multiple educational and business organizations including Chapman University, Santa Ana College, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Cal State Fullerton, Medtronic, Ephesoft, NVIDIA and AI for Good.