Joe Perkovich, a media specialist at Eisenhower Elementary, has been named a state champion in the teacher division of the Presidential AI Challenge and will advance to the regional competition on April 9 for a chance to go to Washington, D.C. The competition included more than 20,000 participants and approximately 2,500 submissions nationwide.
The Presidential AI Challenge is a national competition where K-12 youth, educators, mentors, and community teams come together to solve real-world problems in their communities using AI-powered solutions with an opportunity to showcase their solutions at a national level.
Mr. Perkovich competed in the Educator category, which focuses on innovative approaches to teaching with artificial intelligence. His submitted project was “Creating Our Own Quest: Written by Us, Enhanced by AI,” in which each 5th-grade class collaboratively writes a full-length “choose your own adventure”-style book and then brings their books to life by using AI and AI tools to illustrate their stories. The project allows students to explore their creativity and imagination while learning to use AI ethically and responsibly.
Over the past two years, students have created 17 books and over 1,000 pages of original writing, and over 1,000 AI-generated illustrations, all professionally printed and added to the school library. With the books completed this year, the Create Your Own Quest series will reach 25 original titles. Each of these books will lead to one of the thirty-two possible endings. This work shows how AI can enhance, not replace, student creativity while preparing them for the future.
The regional competition will consist of an in depth Zoom presentation with a panel of judges. “I am honored to represent the Indiana Area School District and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the Presidential AI Challenge, “ said Mr. Perkovich. “Reading and technology have always been two of my greatest passions, and bringing them together in the classroom has been an incredible experience.”
No matter the outcome, students are the winners. “... the students aren't just reading and writing; they are excited to read and write. Watching their ideas come to life through AI-generated illustrations, and then into printed books they can hold, makes the experience truly meaningful.”
Superintendent Robert Heinrich is also excited about this initiative. “Teachers like Joe are embracing the challenge of integrating the tools that AI provides into the curriculum in thoughtful ways that enhance education rather than replacing it. We are fortunate to have teachers like Joe on our team at IASD. They are the reason we offer top notch educational opportunities in Indiana!”