Months after Fayetteville State University partnered with Cumberland County Schools to launch the AI Literacy Bootcamp for educators, the collaboration is earning recognition well beyond the district.
Student and educator teams participating in the Anchored in Excellence and AI Innovation initiative earned three North Carolina titles in the 2026 Presidential AI Challenge, while the partnership itself was later featured at the IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference at Princeton University.
A white paper describing the project has also been accepted for publication in IEEE Xplore, one of the world’s largest peer-reviewed engineering and technology research databases.
Launched in 2025, the initiative brings together Fayetteville State University’s Intelligent Systems Laboratory, Cumberland County Schools, and AI Learning Central to connect K–12 students and educators with university computer science mentors. Through the program, participants develop artificial intelligence solutions to real-world problems while building AI literacy, technical knowledge and workforce-ready skills.
Dr. Sambit Bhattacharya, professor of computer science and director of Fayetteville State University’s Intelligent Systems Laboratory, said the partnership allows university students to apply what they learn in the classroom while helping younger students explore how artificial intelligence can address real-world challenges.
“This partnership provides a powerful opportunity for our university students to apply their technical knowledge in real-world settings while helping K-12 students learn how artificial intelligence can be used to solve meaningful problems,” Bhattacharya said.
More than 2,500 teams entered this year’s Presidential AI Challenge. Cumberland County participants claimed three of North Carolina’s seven statewide titles, winning the Elementary Track 1, High School Track 1, and Educator Track competitions.
Elementary Students Tackle Cafeteria Waste
At E. Melvin Honeycutt Elementary School, fifth-grade teacher Bryan Boroff coached a team of students who developed “Purrfectly Recyclable,” an artificial intelligence-powered cafeteria sorting system to help students determine whether an item belongs in the trash, recycling, or compost using image classification technology. The project earned the team North Carolina’s Elementary Track 1 title.
For Boroff, the recognition was validation of months of collaboration and problem-solving.
“Winning honestly feels kind of unreal,” Boroff said. “I think what got us there was how we all worked together.”
That sense of teamwork was echoed by fifth grader Carter Cole, who said each student played a role in bringing the idea to life.
“We all had different jobs to do and worked together to solve a problem in a fun way,” Cole said.
Fellow teammate Zola Banks said the project also changed the way she thinks about technology, showing how artificial intelligence can be used to solve everyday problems and encourage better environmental habits.
“It was really cool to see how everyone thought of ways to make the earth a better place to live,” Banks said.
‘Eagle Beacon’ Reimagines Emergency Response
Douglas Byrd High School students earned North Carolina’s High School Track 1 title after designing “Eagle Beacon,” an artificial intelligence-powered emergency response concept aimed at helping first responders locate and assist people during disasters.
The team envisioned a solar-powered mesh communication network capable of operating even when traditional power and internet service are unavailable. Their proposal would allow emergency crews to deploy drones to search for survivors, deliver emergency supplies, and connect victims with remote medical professionals while first responders travel to the scene.
For coach Stefany Van Scyoc, one of the project’s greatest strengths was the partnership with Fayetteville State University. She said working alongside a university computer science mentor helped transform students’ ideas into a realistic, achievable proposal.
“My student partner was knowledgeable about areas of AI development and implementation that I was not,” Van Scyoc said. “He was very helpful with putting the students’ ideas into motion and giving them an obtainable goal for their project.”
For student Tristian Moeschet, the project was about putting the team’s shared interests to work solving a real problem. By combining their knowledge of drones, robotics, and artificial intelligence, he said the students envisioned technology that could make a difference when lives are on the line.
“It was really important to me to build something that could help people,” Moeschet said.
Beyond the Competition
The partnership’s impact extended beyond the Presidential AI Challenge.
The Honeycutt Elementary project was selected for publication in IEEE Xplore, and organizers also presented the collaboration model at the IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference at Princeton University, where the work placed third in the conference’s “work in progress” white paper category before being accepted for publication.
Career Technical Education Executive Director Chip Lucas said the recognition reflects how educators have embraced artificial intelligence as an instructional tool.
“We certainly proved that our teachers that participated in our AI bootcamp expanded their knowledge, and in turn were able to prepare and coach students on the skills needed to advance their AI readiness during this competition,” Lucas said. “CCS will continue to explore opportunities that prepare teachers with emerging skills for equipping students to achieve future-ready skills in the area of Artificial Intelligence.”
Ashlee Russell, founder and CEO of AI Learning Central and director of the initiative, said the collaboration demonstrates what is possible when school districts, universities, and community organizations work together to prepare students for emerging technologies.
“We are incredibly proud of the state winners and all participants,” Russell said. “This partnership was able to create opportunities for students to work on real problems, with real tools, alongside mentors, so they can build AI literacy, technical knowledge, and the durable skills they will need in the future workforce.”
The recognition marks one of the first major milestones for the Anchored in Excellence and AI Innovation initiative, which organizers hope will continue expanding opportunities for Cumberland County students and educators to explore artificial intelligence through real-world problem solving.
