Carle Place’s Cherry Lane School has been named a New York State winner in the Presidential AI Challenge, a national initiative that brings together K–12 students, educators and community members to develop artificial intelligence–driven solutions to real-world challenges, with opportunities to present their work on a national stage.
The program aims to build foundational AI knowledge and skills among students, while supporting educators in guiding learning in this rapidly evolving field. It connects participants with industry and government experts who provide mentorship and coaching and offers access to resources and training to help bring innovative ideas to life.
Cherry Lane’s winning project, “Designing Sustainable Communities Using AI-Supported Decision Making,” was completed by second-grade students who designed safe and sustainable homes for urban, suburban and rural communities. Students researched how geography, population density and building materials influence housing, then used hands-on testing and an AI chatbot as a decision-support tool to inform their designs.
The project emphasized that AI provides suggestions, while students make final decisions based on evidence, testing and reasoning. Through the integration of AI in this project, students developed early AI literacy, learned ethical and responsible technology use, and strengthened critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Cherry Lane Principal Ms. Lauren Moriarty and second-grade teacher Ms. Theresa Collato will advance to the regional stage on April 9, where they will participate in a panel interview as part of the next phase of the competition.
“We are incredibly proud of our Cherry Lane community for this achievement,” Moriarty said. “This recognition reflects the creativity, collaboration and forward-thinking mindset of our students and staff, and we’re excited to continue this journey in the next round.”