On November 8, 2023, IGNITE Students from Mountainview Elementary School had a blast participating in an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) Work-Based Learning Experience with Afiniti!
Stephanie Stokes kicked off the event with an exciting overview of Afiniti, a world-leading artificial intelligence company, and followed by an insightful panel discussion where the Panelists shared their personal journeys. The students’ enthusiasm was infectious, and they bombarded the Panelists, Wennahele Navarette, Technical Account Manager, and Abaq Asif, Manager of Client Data Services, with intelligent and curious questions. The students’ questions touched on everything from career paths and school club involvement to personal hobbies, providing students with a better understanding of opportunities to enter the AI/ML field.
Breakout rooms then became interactive hubs as the students were guided through three virtual activities. The Artificial Intelligence activities featured three engaging experiments. In the breakout rooms, students got hands-on with Afiniti’s AI machine in a rock-paper-scissors challenge, taught a machine to guess their drawings, and delved into the world of machine learning by teaching a machine to distinguish between two classes of images, sounds, or poses. Surprisingly, the drawing AI game emerged as the crowd favorite, adding an element of creativity to the tech-driven event.
The event seamlessly blended educational insights with interactive activities, creating an environment where learning was not just informative but also enjoyable. The day ended on a high note, with students not only gaining knowledge but thoroughly enjoying the process of learning more about artificial intelligence and machine learning.
A sincere thank you to all who made this AI/ML Work-Based Learning Experience an amazing success. Thank you to Stephanie Stokes, our incredible Facilitator, Kashaf Jamshed, the Tech Host who kept things running smoothly, and the Breakout Room Leaders Wennahele Navarette, Michelle Mattson, Azka Hafeez, Abaq Asif, and Kristin Renteria. A special shoutout to Lindsay Hua for organizing the event, recruiting volunteers, and ensuring a seamless experience. A special thank you to Wennahele Navarette and Abaq Asif for also serving as Panelists and sharing your stories with the students. Additional thanks to Stacey DeWet; your commitment to your students made this event possible.
After attending this event:
100%
of students are interested in STEM
78%
of students know more about STEM career choices and the benefits of working in a STEM field
82%
of students feel more confident in pursuing STEM
87%
of students gained perspective and feel more hopeful about the future
Here’s what the students thought of the event:
“I loved how so many people were interested in STEM when they were younger, and I loved the activities like quick draw and rock-paper-scissors.” – 5th grade
“It was fun learning more about STEM. I loved the activities.” – 5th grade
“This event inspired me because it showed me how you work and what you work with. I think if I wanted to, I could do that in the future.” – 5th grade
“The event inspired me today on how I can do better in my future.” – 5th grade
“Today inspired me to be more extroverted with my hobbies.” – 5th grade
“Today’s event inspired me, and I liked talking to new people.” – 4th grade
“This event helped me learn about others’ journeys in STEM. Thank you, volunteers!” – 5th grade
“This inspired me by showing me I can do STEM – it’s for everyone. I also loved that I got to learn about STEM jobs.” – 5th grade
“I learned a lot by hearing from people and being shown what to do.” – “I like the picture.” – 4th grade
“This event inspired me to be more confident in STEM.” – “The games.” – 4th grade
“Today’s event inspired me because I learned a lot about STEM.” – 5th grade
About Afiniti:
Afiniti uses patented artificial intelligence technology to pair participants in customer interactions based on how well they are likely to interact. Its technology is used globally in the healthcare, telecommunications, travel, hospitality, insurance, and banking industries, and across multiple customer experience channels. To learn more, visit www.afiniti.com.
About IGNITE Program Work-Based Learning Experience Events:
Virtual Work-Based Learning Experiences are hosted on a virtual platform so students can sign on from anywhere and include an interactive, hands-on STEM activity focused on skill-building and real-world applications, like artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, or engineering, followed by an IGNITE Panel and Q&A discussion.
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at www.igniteworldwide.org.
Host an IGNITE Event | Read More Post-Event Reports
