I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: I’ve accepted a position as an Instructional Designer with the Mark Cuban Foundation, working on their national AI Bootcamp program for underserved high school students. Initially, I will be helping to launch the inaugural Teacher Fellowship program and the Teacher Bootcamps, along with my supervisor, Charlotte Dungan.
For those of you who know me through my work with Engage Their Minds, you know how much I care about empowering learners with creativity, access, and agency. This new role combines all of that, and aligns with the teaching philosophies I deeply believe in and have advocated for during my entire career as an educator.
Why AI? Why Now?
Artificial intelligence is already changing the world whether we’re ready or not. From the self-driving trucks replacing warehouse jobs to algorithms influencing credit scores, newsfeeds, and even the justice system, the future of work (and life) is undeniably AI-infused.
But access to AI education isn’t equitable. We are also well aware of the ethical challenges, as well as the dramatic effects AI will have on the workforce. We believe that knowledge and critical thinking are key to equipping students to navigate and shape a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence.
That’s why I’m proud to join a team laser-focused on providing free, high-quality AI education to students who are often left out of tech pipelines. These are the students who may have never been exposed to computer science classes at their schools. The ones who might never have coded before. The ones who need someone to believe they belong in this space. We’re not just teaching how AI works. We’re preparing students to ask better questions about its impact, its ethics, and its role in their futures.
What I’ll Be Doing
In my role, I’ll be:
- Designing AI curriculum that’s hands-on, inclusive, and empowering for the educators who support teens who are going to be future leaders in AI in all aspects of our society.
- Creating training modules for teachers that are grounded in best practices for adult learning.
- Working across platforms and with teams to ensure that every learner, no matter where they’re starting from, has access to engaging, relevant content about artificial intelligence and its implications for our world.
What Makes This Special
This isn’t a job. It’s a mission. Many of my regular readers know that I have been “semi-retired” for 5 years. I have been enjoying my flexibility, spending more time with family and, frankly, recovering from a bit of PTSD as a public school teacher for 29 years. But when I saw this full-time opportunity, I knew I needed to pursue it because the mission of this organization speaks to everything that is important to me as an educator.
How You Can Get Involved
Unfortunately, applications are closed for the Teacher Fellowships and Bootcamps for the 2025-2026 program. If you are interested, be sure to sign up for our Teacher Newsletter (which I will be sending out once a month) for AI news applicable to you and information on when the next window for applications opens.
An important way to help us out now is to spread the news to high school students about our 2025 Bootcamps (3 Saturdays in November) as applications are still open until September 30th. They can see more information here, and please emphasize that they can apply from any state (not just current Bootcamp locations).
Another chance to help us out is to help us get in touch with host companies so we can add more bootcamps. We hope to have all sponsors locked in by the end of June.
What’s Next?
I’ll still be blogging, creating, and sharing resources through Engage Their Minds, but now with even more tools in my toolkit. Expect to see more about how to use AI ethically and creatively in education—from classroom activities to educator resources to tools that spark student agency.
Thanks for all the support, encouragement, and curiosity you’ve shared with me over the years. Let’s get to work.
