Sierra High Students Help Shape National AI Education Framework
Colorado students joined peers from all 50 states in Boston to develop guidelines for responsible AI use in schools.
Students from Sierra High School traveled to Boston this summer to represent Colorado in a national effort to regulate artificial intelligence in the classroom. Marissa Donjuan and Logan Arviso joined a delegation of students from every U.S. state to participate in the National Student AI Senate.
Hosted by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute from July 17-19, 2026, the event took place in a detailed recreation of the U.S. Senate chamber. Participants simulated the legislative process to draft a comprehensive framework for the responsible implementation of AI within public education, aiming to establish national guidelines that balance the benefits of emerging technology with ethical safeguards.
The Legislative Simulation
The choice of venue was intentional. The Edward M. Kennedy Institute uses its Senate chamber replica to immerse students in the complexities of governance. By mimicking the formal environment of the U.S. Senate, the program required students to navigate the friction of policy-making, negotiating and compromising to reach a consensus on how AI should be integrated into school curricula and administrative functions.
Shifting the Governance Model
This initiative marks a significant departure from traditional top-down educational policy. Historically, technology mandates in schools have been driven by state legislatures, school boards, and software vendors. By centering the conversation on the students, the National Student AI Senate acknowledges that the primary users of these tools are often the most qualified to identify the risks and opportunities associated with their use.
Including student voices ensures that the resulting framework addresses real-world classroom dynamics, such as academic integrity, data privacy, and the digital divide. It shifts the conversation from how adults can monitor AI use to how students can leverage it responsibly to enhance learning.
Future Implications
While the framework developed in Boston serves as a model for responsible use, the next phase involves how these student-led recommendations will be adopted by actual policymakers. Observers will be watching to see if state departments of education integrate these guidelines into official policy or if the project remains a symbolic exercise in civic engagement. For now, the participation of students like Donjuan and Arviso provides a blueprint for including youth perspectives in the governance of disruptive technologies.