"When new doors open, passions flow, courage blossoms, and dreams are realized." This week, First Lady Melania Trump honored the nation's top student innovators during the inaugural Presidential AI Challenge National Awards Ceremony at the White House. While Kentucky did not have a national champion this year, we couldn't be more proud of the students from Flemingsburg Elementary School, whose project, Blaze's Backpack, advanced to the National Finals and represented the Commonwealth on the national stage. Their journey is a reminder that innovation can begin in any classroom and that when students are given opportunities to explore, create, and solve real-world problems, incredible things can happen. Congratulations to the students, families, educators, and partners who helped make this achievement possible. f.mtr.cool/laqmbgyadx #PresidentialAIChallenge #AIinEducation #KentuckyEducation #StudentInnovation #KEDC

Preeented at T3 Conference with the amazing @mrshowell24 and @GetSchoolAI . Great day with Dayton Public School teachers at Sinclair Community College. #SchoolAI

Presented my Community Share project with other fellows from across the nation. Pretty cool experience! 🙌 @community_share #communitybasedlearning

Rowan County representing at the KEDC summer conference! #KEDCgrants @kedc_epic @AchieveKedc @KedcARTS @RowanSchools

A perfect night at the ballpark ⚾️#LouGehrigNight #EndALS

“Now they’re using that language because we’re giving them experiences they wouldn’t otherwise have.” That’s what knowledge building does. It gives students access to words, ideas, and the world. #KnowledgeMatters #HistoryMatters #SchoolTour

📷📷 Rowan County Students Shine! 📷📷 750 students in 5th, 8th, and 12th grades showcased their Defense of Learning in front of: -Countless parents & family members -100 community and business supporters -200 RC educators & staff -30 state department & districts #RowanRising

When teachers step in alongside students, learning becomes something bigger 💬 Defenses of Learning Teacher Edition at its best @UKyNextGen #RowanRising

What a great day in Rowan County Schools 💚 Defense of Learning in action students owning their story, showcasing growth, and becoming Valiant Vikings. #RowanRising #ProfileOfALearner

🎉🤖 LOOK AT THESE FUTURE LEADERS! 🏆🔥 KEDC is incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding students and educators who participated in our Presidential AI Challenge Bootcamp and went on to be recognized as State Winners! 👏 These students and teachers didn’t just learn about AI—they applied it, collaborated, and created innovative solutions to real-world problems. 💡✨ 🙌 Shoutout to our amazing teams: 📍 Fleming County 📍 Fayette County 📍 Rowan County 👏 And a huge congratulations to the educators who made this possible: ⭐ Kelly Acevedo (Mentor) ⭐ Laura Duffy (Mentor) ⭐ Pam Rowland (Teacher Winner) This is what it looks like when innovation, opportunity, and student leadership come together. 🚀 The future is here—and it’s being led by Kentucky students and educators! #WeAreKEDC #KentuckyProud #AIinEducation #FutureReady #StudentSuccess

"Everyone can make a difference. We believe that everyone has extraordinary potential to do so , and the expanding opportunities that TECHNOLOGY brings can exponentially grow our ability to create solutions for our most pressing challenges." @community_share #bookstudy

"The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning is to give your gift away." #booksnaps @community_share

Thanks to @KEDCGrants for the podcasting equipment that made this vibrant learning experience possible. @MrsATackett @ArcherRodburn @MsBurton120 @passport2lead

The most important skill for creativity is no longer original thinking. It’s taste and tenacity. In the age of AI, ideas are abundant. Good judgment and execution are scarce. The future belongs to those who excel at finding and amplifying the signal in the noise.

I think less transactional classrooms, ones that operate in inquiry mode, are better at creating authentic, organic conversations where students make meaning and build connective knowledge. "Efficiency" may be a trade-off, but there is deep learning value in those conversations.

That's a wrap on #KAST26 The BEST Week of the year for Digital Learning Coaches. So many great ideas to share with our teachers. @RowanSchools @KentuckyDLC #neverstoplearning

PBL isn't about students "discovering" knowledge on their own, despite what critics say. It’s a vehicle to help them see why that knowledge is important and how connecting it helps them solve a real-world challenge or create something of value. wegrowteachers.com/consultin…

Love sharing @magicschoolai Wall of Love is with teachers at #KAST2026 So many creative ways educators are saving time and supporting students. Grabbed a few to take back and try! love.magicschool.ai/all #KAST #MagicSchool #EdTech #TeachersHelpingTeachers

Freshmen using a Jigsaw activity to identify figurative language devices and analyze lines from Romeo & Juliet's balcony scene. #RowanRising @KEDC1 @Prowlander @KEDCGrants @kedc_epic @KyWriteRight @DrJWEvansJr #shakespeare

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