Ridgewood students win Ohio AI competition

Ridgewood High School announced its AI for Youth class was named Ohio state champion in the Presidential AI Challenge, a national competition that highlights student innovation and excellence in artificial intelligence.

The Ridgewood team earned top honors at the state level for its project, Reading Reimagined, which demonstrated both technical proficiency and real-world application. The platform was designed to help students improve literacy by leveraging artificial intelligence to personalize reading experiences, support skill development, and engage learners in new and effective ways. Their achievement places them among the top student teams in Ohio and advances them to the next stage of competition.

The team will now move on to the regional competition.

“This accomplishment reflects the hard work, creativity and forward-thinking mindset of our students,” Lester McCurdy said. “They have embraced complex technologies and transformed them into meaningful solutions. We are incredibly proud of how they have represented Ridgewood at the state level and are excited to see them compete on the regional stage.”

The Presidential AI Challenge is designed to encourage students to explore artificial intelligence, develop problem-solving skills and prepare for future careers in emerging technologies. Ridgewood’s success highlights the strength of its academic programming and commitment to preparing students for an evolving digital world.