Ridgewood students to present AI at White House

Ridgewood High School announced students from its AI for Youth class have been invited to the White House to showcase their groundbreaking work to members of the president’s AI Education Taskforce.

The student team has developed an AI-powered reading program designed to strengthen literacy outcomes in schools. Using adaptive artificial intelligence and real-time data analysis, the platform personalizes reading instruction and identifies skill gaps. The result is a dynamic tool that empowers teachers and accelerates student growth in reading fluency and comprehension.

Being invited to present at the White House is an extraordinary honor and a powerful recognition of the students’ innovation, creativity and commitment to solving real-world challenges. During their visit students will demonstrate how their program leverages machine learning and natural language processing to deliver measurable improvements in literacy achievement.

In addition to their White House presentation, the students have meetings scheduled with leading technology companies to further develop and expand their platform.

“This is an incredible moment for our students and our community,” said Dr. Bryan Raach, director of student services. “Their work represents the very best of what happens when students are empowered to innovate with purpose. We are immensely proud of their leadership and the opportunity to share the amazing things that are happening at Ridgewood on a national stage.”

Ridgewood High School’s AI for Youth program challenges students to apply advanced technology skills to real-world problems. This invitation reflects not only their technical excellence, but also their dedication to using AI responsibly to make a positive difference in education.

The class is taught by Lester McCurdy. Students are Kenzie Bice, Keira Schrock, Bridget Kobel, Autumn Joyce, Addison Lahmers, Sofie Paugh and Sophia Bluck.