Jeff West teachers showcase classroom AI projects in state grant pilot
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Summary
District staff presented classroom examples from a multi-district AI grant — from AI-assisted debate prep to Gemini-based legislative simulations and student-generated art — and will present a showcase in Lawrence next week.
Jeff West teachers and staff outlined how the district’s AI grant pilot is being used in classrooms, describing student projects designed to teach critical thinking and real-world problem solving.
Presenters said the district is one of several selected rural districts in a statewide grant and will take work to a regional showcase in Lawrence next Tuesday. Projects cited included student-created album cover art using generative tools, chatbot-driven career-path exploration, AI-assisted debate prep that identifies counterarguments, and Gemini-powered “legislative aide” scenarios that ask students to draft press releases and respond to simulated stakeholder letters.
"If you don't like change, you're going to be irrelevant," one presenter said, framing AI as a tool the district must learn to use responsibly rather than avoid. Teachers described guardrails: students are taught to treat AI synopses like Wikipedia — not as final answers — and to check sources that the models cite. Classroom pilots lasted about a week for each assessment cycle; a teacher said she spends class time helping students craft prompts and then uses a week for students to refine and submit press-release assignments.
Staff and trustees noted parental reaction so far has been muted and generally supportive, with few complaints after early parent conferences where teachers showcased sample work. The board allowed a 15-minute presentation and 15 minutes of Q&A, and presenters provided examples they will share at the Lawrence showcase.