Latest news with #AmericanYouth
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
AI education is vital for Washington. Trump's order will help
President Donald Trump recently used his executive pen to advance AI education across the country. Signed on April 23, the 'Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth' executive order implements a federal AI education framework for all K-12 schools and more. The president checks nearly every box that proponents of AI education are advocating for. The order creates a federal task force, holds student competitions, fosters industry collaboration and fast-tracks grant programs. According to the AI education order: 'To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation's youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology. By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.' A high-level White House Task Force on AI education will be led by Michael Kratsios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The task force also consists of cabinet members and agency heads from the departments of education, labor, energy, agriculture and the National Science Foundation. Its role is to organize national AI education efforts. The order specifies that federal agencies will work with industry, academic researchers and nonprofits to create online materials that will help teach K–12 students the basics of AI literacy and critical thinking. A national contest will be used to promote and showcase student and educator AI successes, advancing technology and spurring cross-sector collaboration. Idaho, Washington, Montana and Wyoming all have something different to offer to the national conversation about AI education, and all have something to gain from the federal executive order. Each state has its challenges, but the opportunity is the same: Equip students to go from being tech consumers to tech creators in the AI-driven economy. By matching the national strategy, states throughout our region can make the most of this federal push in some very specific and important ways. Idaho can take advantage of federal dollars to boost its already strong STEM programs and give more rural educators AI teaching tools. Washington has an opportunity to turn its tech-sector supremacy into in-classroom success, establishing more effective collaboration between industry and public education through partnership, apprenticeship and early career pipelines. Montana, with AI integration, can empower its distance learning architecture and level the playing field so rural students have access to the same advanced tools that urban students do. Wyoming has the opportunity to integrate AI literacy throughout its expanding career and technical education pathways, which have the potential to not only prepare students for college but also high-skill, high-wage jobs in an ever-changing workforce. The executive order on AI education acknowledges the need to get the next generation ready for a future where AI is central. The Mountain States region could extract great value by supporting the effort and ensuring that its youth are not only technology consumers, but also technology creators and leaders in the AI-fueled world. Sebastian Griffin is the lead researcher for the Junkermier Center for Technology and Innovation at Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gen Zers who are actually happy are saying yes to religion and family — and no to social media
Many of the kids are not alright — though some are. According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Americans ages 18 to 29 ranked 62nd amongst the 140 countries surveyed in terms of self-reported well-being and life satisfaction —far below all US adults, who ranked 24th in the most recent report. But a small segment of young Americans are bucking the trend and finding happiness. The Post spoke with several, and they all noted that limiting their time on Instagram, TikTok and the like was crucial to their mental well-being. The average Zoomer spends three quarters of their day consuming content. 'Social media in and of itself is a very negative and toxic place,' Kevin Alexander, a self-described happy 28-year-old from Southern Florida, told The Post. 'I don't use it that much.' Alexander has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and uses crutches for mobility. His disability taught him that 'comparison is the thief of joy' early on, so he's always avoided social media, which he believes has been key. 'I happen to be physically disabled, so I tend to look more for positive things, because I've certainly dealt with a host of negativity in my life through operations, through stigma, through a lot of things,' he explained. Alexander, who recently got his master's degree in history and is working on an essay collection while applying to PhD programs, also credits his intellectual pursuits for his positive outlook. 'I read a lot, and I try to stay inside in my own head more than listen to the external noise,' he said. 'I'm just so in my books and in my writing that I can get lost to the world for several hours of the day at a time.' Ben Feinblum, a 20-year-old sophomore studying business at Georgia Tech, believes social media is bringing his generation down and credits his positive outlook to restricting his use of it. 'Social media makes people very comfortable being alone, and even when they are hanging out with people they're on their phones and texting people that aren't even there,' the New Rochelle native said. Feinblum turns off notifications on apps, such as Instagram, that aren't essential, and he and his friends have created rituals to stay in the moment while hanging out. 'My friends will be very conscious of who's on their phone and call them out,' he said. 'We stack up our phones on the table, and whoever picks theirs up first is the one to pay the tip for dinner.' Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison, an unusually upbeat 20-year-old sophomore at Samford University in Alabama, also makes efforts to rein in her social media use when she feels it getting out of hand. 'I can kind of take authority and say, you know what, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok is really affecting me. I've got to delete it for a week or two or whatever,' she said. She also avoids 'bed rotting' — a wallowing form of self care beloved by Zoomers — in favor of healthier pursuits. 'Instead, [I say] I'm gonna go take a walk outside. I'm going to read a book,' she said. 'I think sometimes you need to escape whatever your situation is, and I think reading is the greatest resource.' Daily journaling has also been proved helpful to Ellison, who dealt with anxiety in her teens. 'Just getting my thoughts out and getting to stretch those writing legs has always brought a boost to my serotonin,' she said. 'I try to get down five things I'm grateful for.' Nearly all of the happy Zoomers The Post spoke with cited their religion as a major reason for their contentment. 'Something that has always influenced me is growing up with a dad that's a pastor,' Ellison said. 'My faith has ebbed and flowed and changed a lot as I've grown up, but it's always been consistently there for me to fall back on.' For Alexander, his Christian faith has helped him frame his disability in a positive manner. 'The fact that I'm still here 28 years later makes me believe that God has me here for a reason,' he said. 'I have physical limitations, but He spared my ability to speak, to think, and to write effectively. The idea that I'm here for a purpose keeps me from falling into the generational nihilism.' Fay Dubinsky, 28 of Boca, Florida, credits Judaism with providing her with a sense of community and meaning. 'I grew up Jewish and religious, and I think that's probably one of the reasons that I'm not depressed or anxious,' she said. 'I have so much meaning in my life, and that's not typical for my generation.' Dubinsky, who works as a therapist, also says her choice to get married early, at age 25, and start a family soon after has given her more purpose. She has a nearly 2-year-old son and is 7-months-pregnant. 'I take time for myself, but so much of my day is to help others, to take care of my family, to take care of my baby,' she said. 'I think the number one problem in my generation is a lack of meaning. People my age, their life is about them, and serving themselves, and always seeking out more pleasure.'
Business Wire
29-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Varsity Tutors Launches Live + AI™ Platform for Schools, Delivering Next‑Generation Tutoring & Teacher Support System
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nerdy Inc. (NYSE: NRDY), parent company of Varsity Tutors, today announced the nationwide launch of Live + AI™ — a next-generation, AI-powered, high-dosage tutoring and live intervention platform designed to accelerate learning and close achievement gaps. Live + AI™ is grounded in a simple truth: technology is most powerful when it amplifies, not replaces, the human bond at the center of learning. By uniting the insight, empathy, and adaptability of expert educators with the real-time precision and limitless scale of AI, Live + AI™ delivers truly personalized instruction—accelerating student growth while preserving the irreplaceable spark of human connection. The platform delivers a comprehensive suite of solutions for schools and districts, offering high-impact tutoring, targeted intervention, and district-ready AI tools to support educators and drive student success at scale. Varsity Tutors Launches Live + AI™ Platform for Schools, Delivering Next‑Generation Tutoring & Teacher Support System. The launch comes days after President Donald J. Trump signed the Executive Order 'Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth,' which calls for integrating AI across K–12 education, training teachers on AI utilization, and developing workforce skills for an AI-powered future. The Executive Order specifically highlights high-impact tutoring as a key application for AI in education, directing the Secretary of Education to issue guidance on using federal funds to improve educational outcomes through AI-based tutoring solutions. 'Artificial intelligence is transforming education—and its impact is greatest when paired with the personal touch, encouragement, and accountability of skilled educators,' said Chuck Cohn, Founder & CEO of Nerdy Inc. and Varsity Tutors. 'For students, Live + AI™ delivers truly personalized, high-dosage tutoring that drives measurable academic growth. For teachers, it reclaims 7–10 hours a week by automating lesson prep and progress reports while surfacing real-time insights into every learner's needs. At this inflection point, we're partnering with schools nationwide to ensure both students and teachers have the tools to thrive in an AI-driven future.' Decades of evidence confirm that high-dosage tutoring is one of the few school-based interventions that can add the equivalent of three to 15 months of learning in a single year—especially when it's grounded in consistent human relationships and expert guidance. Live + AI™ turns that research into action, giving every district a unified platform that combines high-dosage tutoring, 24/7 academic support, and AI-powered teacher and tutor copilot tools. By automating lesson prep, progress summaries, and individualized practice, it frees 7–10 hours per week for educators—advancing district priorities such as accelerating learning gains, improving student outcomes, and strengthening staff retention—while aligning with the White House AI-in-Education Executive Order. Live + AI™ Key Capabilities: AI-Enhanced High-Dosage Tutoring: Live one-on-one and small-group tutoring sessions delivered by expert tutors with AI tools at their fingertips, ensuring recurring and intensive support aligned with evidence-based practices. AI analyzes student skill levels, learning styles, and schedules to intelligently pair them with the ideal tutor, fostering strong, consistent relationships. AI Session Insights & Video Playback: AI tools to provide educators and parents of learners with comprehensive summaries of learning progress and opportunities for follow-up instruction. 24/7 Academic Support: Instant live and AI-supported tutoring, essay reviews, and skill-building resources that seamlessly integrate into existing school workflows and educator practices, enhancing instructional effectiveness. Immersive Live Classes for Academic Intervention and Test Prep: Expert-led sessions focused on core subjects like math and science, ACT/SAT prep, college and career readiness. AI Teacher Tools: Suite of AI-powered teacher tools to reduce lesson planning and administrative workload by 7–10+ hours weekly, facilitating personalized instruction and enabling teachers to focus on high-impact teaching. Real-Time Analytics: Actionable insights for educators via transparent dashboards, tracking progress and identifying areas for intervention. Our partnerships with over 1,000 districts nationwide show that students in Varsity Tutors' high-dosage programs can achieve up to 2X gains in targeted skill areas. With 18 years of experience and over 10 million hours of live, expert instruction, we know what it takes to drive learning outcomes — and we're ready to put that power to work for you. By embedding AI tools directly into the learning experience, we're giving students hands-on exposure to this transformative technology. This approach not only enhances their current studies but also equips them with the AI literacy that will be essential for their future success. "Our Live + AI™ platform addresses the core objectives of the President's Executive Order — expanding AI education, supporting teachers, and preparing students for future workforce needs," said Anthony Salcito, Chief Institution Business Officer at Nerdy. "By combining human expertise with AI capabilities, we're providing a unified and flexible solution that helps districts achieve better outcomes while consolidating vendor relationships and reducing costs." To learn more about how Varsity Tutors can support your school district, please visit About Varsity Tutors Varsity Tutors is the leading AI-enhanced tutoring and intervention platform, trusted by more than 1,000 school districts nationwide. Leveraging nearly two decades of experience and over 10 million hours of live instruction, our unified solution streamlines every step of student support—from tutor selection and scheduling to personalized lesson delivery and real-time insights. Our high-dosage tutoring, comprehensive learning tools, and AI-powered tutor, student, and teacher resources deliver measurable impact, doubling student growth in core subjects compared to traditional interventions. Learn how we're helping educators move from intervention to lasting impact at About Nerdy Inc. Nerdy (NYSE: NRDY) is a leading platform for live online learning, with a mission to transform the way people learn through technology. The Company's purpose-built proprietary platform leverages technology, including AI, to connect learners of all ages to experts, delivering superior value on both sides of the network. Nerdy's comprehensive learning destination provides learning experiences across thousands of subjects and multiple formats—including Learning Memberships, one-on-one instruction, small group tutoring, large format classes, and adaptive assessments. Nerdy's flagship business, Varsity Tutors, is one of the nation's largest platforms for live online tutoring and classes. Its solutions are available directly to students and consumers, as well as through schools and other institutions. Learn more about Nerdy at
