Iowa City Schools: AI Summit

Iowa City Schools: AI Summit

Join us for a one-day, statewide convening that blends professional learning, student innovation, and cross-district collaboration at the Center for Innovation in the Iowa City Community School District (2255 N Dubuque Rd, Iowa City, IA 52245). 

This year’s summit is hosted with Digital Promise and our six partner districts nationwide. This AI Summit stems from an NSF-funded collaboration to expand Computational Thinking (CT) pathways. CT Pathways are designed to create consistent, cumulative, and competency-based learning opportunities for students across K–12. As our CT work continues to evolve, we are leaning into how computational thinking supports AI literacy and thoughtful AI integration.

How the day works (and why it’s different):

• Morning: Choose from concurrent educator-led sessions, including presentations from multiple partner districts across the U.S.

• Midday: Taco bar lunch & a student panel on AI in education

• Afternoon: A hands-on, guided workshop focused on building practical takeaways you can use

• Closing: Students will pitch their AI-powered solutions to their Design Thinking Challenge.

What makes this summit unique:
A small group of students will participate in a live Design Thinking Challenge running behind the scenes of the educator experience. At scheduled moments, students will interview educators and gather feedback on prototypes, then deliver final pitches at the end of the day. Your perspectives will help students build empathy, improve solutions, and strengthen their presentations.

Whether you are new to AI or already experimenting, you will leave with practical strategies, new connections, and a clearer vision for responsible innovation.