Long Island High School Partners with Top Law School to Enhance AI Education

A Catholic high school on Long Island has partnered with a prestigious law school to improve artificial intelligence (AI) education among teenagers, aiming to foster responsible and savvy use of this emerging technology.

Students at Chaminade High School are participating in new initiatives, including a writing contest for 11th and 12th graders to explore the future of AI, especially its role in education. Selected winners will receive recognition from Washington University in St. Louis, ranked 14th best law school nationally, which is collaborating on this project.

Senior John Durham expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasizing its importance in preparing for a new world dominated by AI. “It’s going to help us navigate these changes,” he said, adding the emphasis on using AI as a tool rather than a crutch.

The school’s previous engagement with AI includes students designing their own language model, “Buddy Bot,” in March—a project aimed at reducing screen time and combatting digital overuse. The creators, including Durham, Finbar Galligan, Andrew Dargento, and Ty Miranda, have reported benefits like decreased phone usage and improved focus.

Chaminade staff note that they favor integrating AI into their curriculum, even after many schools attempted to ban tools like ChatGPT in 2022. They have used educational chatbots creatively—from simulating historical figures to providing extra help in large classes—arguing that such tools can enable personalized tutoring while still maintaining academic integrity.

All four students openly admit to daily use of ChatGPT, citing its role in homework and creative projects, like assisting with graphic design for the yearbook. Galligan, the yearbook editor-in-chief, shared that AI helped generate concepts for the year’s cover, especially valuable given their limited artistic skills.

Looking ahead, these students are contemplating how AI will affect their careers and educational paths, recognizing that understanding and responsibly harnessing AI’s potential will be crucial in the years to come.