Local Voices, National Impact, Pickerington Students and Educators Shaping the Future of AI

Pickerington Team Helps Shape National Recommendations for AI in Education

Students and Educators Represent Ohio During America’s Youth AI Festival, Bringing New Insights Home to Support Teaching and Learning

Two students and two educators from Pickerington Local Schools helped shape national recommendations for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education after representing Ohio during the inaugural America’s Youth AI Festival (July 17-19) in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Student Senators Hunter Wurzel, a senior at Pickerington High School Central, and David McCahon Linares, a senior at Pickerington High School North, joined student representatives from all 50 states to develop recommendations for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in K–12 education. They were joined by Coordinator of Assessment and Instructional Technology Zachary Tullis and Instructional Coach Curt Householder, who participated in professional learning experiences with education leaders and AI experts from across the country.

The three-day festival, hosted by Day of AI, MIT RAISE, AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, brought together students, educators, researchers, and leaders to explore AI literacy, civic engagement, student voice, and responsible innovation.

The event culminated with Student Senators adopting the STUDENTS FIRST Act, a set of student-developed policy recommendations focused on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in public education. The student-developed recommendations were approved by an 82–16 vote and released nationally through NPR, where Pickerington Student Senator Hunter Wurzel was featured among the students reflecting on the collaborative process. 

Throughout the conference, Wurzel and McCahon Linares served on the Student Subcommittee, collaborating with peers from across the country to examine issues including AI literacy, ethics, privacy, equity, and student voice. Through committee discussions, testimony, amendments, and debate, the students helped develop recommendations designed to support school districts as they navigate the evolving role of artificial intelligence in education.

The students’ work concluded inside the Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s replica U.S. Senate Chamber, where more than 50 Student Senators delivered floor speeches before voting on the final recommendations. McCahon Linares was among the Student Senators who addressed the full Senate chamber during the final debate.

"The most memorable part of representing Ohio and Pickerington Local Schools was the amendment process," said Student Senator & PHSN Senior Hunter Wurzel. "Talking with student representatives from across the country showed just how much common ground we shared. Even though everyone came from different backgrounds and school districts, we were open to understanding one another’s perspectives, which allowed us to refine the bill together despite the limited time we had."

While students participated in the legislative process, Tullis and Householder joined school system

leaders from across the country in professional learning experiences led by experts from Day of AI, MIT RAISE, AASA, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. Sessions focused on responsible AI implementation, educational leadership, and preparing students for a rapidly changing future.

For Tullis, one of the most important lessons from the fellowship was the importance of ensuring students have a meaningful voice in conversations surrounding artificial intelligence.

"One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of giving students a meaningful voice in how AI is used and taught in our schools," said Tullis. "Too often, adults create policies for students without including the people most impacted by those decisions. I would like to create more opportunities for students to help shape our District’s conversations around AI while continuing to equip our staff with the knowledge and confidence to use these tools responsibly. The Student Senate reinforced that the best AI policies are developed with students, not simply for them."

Tullis said he was also encouraged by the similarities among school districts across the country, noting that educators from diverse communities are navigating many of the same questions surrounding AI implementation, teacher support, innovation, and responsible guardrails.

For Householder, the experience reinforced a broader theme that emerged throughout the weekend: artificial intelligence must remain centered on people. 

"My biggest takeaway was that the conversation was never really about artificial intelligence—it was about humanity," said Householder. "The most refreshing theme throughout the weekend was the idea that AI should complement humanity, not replace it. In the right hands and with the right heart, AI can be an incredible co-laborer, but it should never be the lead. Human relationships, creativity, ethics, and judgment must remain at the center."

Householder said the experience highlighted the importance of developing AI literacy—not simply teaching students how to use artificial intelligence tools, but helping them understand how to evaluate, question, and use those tools ethically and responsibly.

The participation of Pickerington Local Schools’ students and educators in America’s Youth AI Festival reflects the District’s prioritizing innovation, collaboration, and preparing learners for a rapidly changing world.

The experience reinforced the importance of ensuring students are active participants in conversations about technologies that will impact their education and future careers. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Pickerington Local Schools remains committed to using technology responsibly while preserving the relationships, creativity, and critical thinking that define meaningful learning.

The ideas and perspectives gained during the festival will continue informing conversations within Pickerington Local Schools as students and educators work together to explore how artificial intelligence can support teaching, learning, and student success. By creating opportunities for students and educators to engage in these conversations together, the District continues preparing learners to navigate an evolving world with curiosity, responsibility, and confidence.

The opportunity placed Pickerington Local Schools among a select group of districts represented at a national event that brought together student and education leaders from all 50 states to help shape the future of artificial intelligence in education. 

Want to learn more about the national impact of the festival? Read Our Related Coverage:

• Read our original announcement about Pickerington's selection to the inaugural America's Youth AI Festival Leadership Fellowship.
• Read NPR's coverage of the STUDENTS FIRST Act and the national student policy recommendations.
• Read AASA's recap of the inaugural America's Youth AI Festival.