Free Hour of AI Workshops Bring Early AI Learning to Union County

Susquehanna Kids delivered a community focused Hour of AI session at the Miller Center at the Lewisburg YMCA on December 22, part of a broader rollout across several counties to introduce K through 12 students to foundational artificial intelligence ideas. Organizers reported roughly a dozen students attended the Lewisburg session, which used vetted lesson materials from established education partners including LEGO Education, Google and Minecraft Education to present classroom ready activities appropriate to different grade levels.

The workshops are part of the worldwide Hour of AI initiative and aim to demystify AI, emphasize safe and responsible use, and give educators practical, user friendly tools they can bring into schools and community programs. Materials and devices were provided by organizers, so students did not need to supply their own equipment. Susquehanna Kids directed families and teachers to susquehannakids.com for schedules and instructional materials.

Local support came from DegenSTEAM Academy, a project of the Charles B. Degenstein Foundation, and funding from a PA Smart grant. Those institutional partners played a direct role in organizing the Lewisburg session and reducing cost barriers for participation. The involvement of a local foundation and state grant underscores the role of targeted public and private funding in expanding early exposure to emerging technologies.

For Union County the program matters on several fronts. Early exposure can influence student interest in computer science and STEAM career pathways, and hands on, age appropriate experiences can help educators evaluate whether to integrate similar lessons into formal curricula. Providing devices and curated lesson content addresses immediate equity concerns, but broader questions remain about sustained teacher training, curriculum vetting, and long term funding to move from one hour demonstrations to sustained learning sequences.

As more districts and community partners consider AI related programming, local officials and school boards will need to weigh instructional priorities, oversight standards, and budget implications. Families and educators interested in future sessions or in adopting lesson plans can find schedules and resources at susquehannakids.com.