Local Partnerships Help Burlington Students Explore AI Careers
Burlington Students Gain Real-World Experience with Artificial Intelligence
Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Jill Oelslager, the Burlington Area School District (BASD) established a districtwide AI Task Force focused on building educator confidence, promoting responsible AI adoption, and creating meaningful learning experiences for students. Led by Career and Technical Education Coordinator Ben Hendricks, the initiative is helping educators understand how AI can support learning while ensuring students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
BASD educators have expanded their AI knowledge through gener8tor’s AI for Leaders program, supported by Microsoft, and AI Fluency workshops offered in partnership with UW–Parkside. Students are also gaining hands-on experience through library-led programs that use Minecraft and LEGO-based learning to introduce AI concepts.
This spring, BASD brought its vision to life through Microsoft’s Minecraft Hour of AI. Over four days and 12 sessions, 259 sixth- and ninth-grade students explored AI concepts while learning from Microsoft employee mentors about careers in technology and data centers.