Top 10 AI Programs for Middle School Students
As a middle school student interested in artificial intelligence, finding programs and courses isn’t always easy. Most of the programs you’ll find out there are designed for high school or college students, or individuals already working in the industry. But don’t worry, we have you covered - we’ve put together a list of the top 10 AI programs for middle school students that are credible, offered by well-known institutions, popular platforms and most importantly, are super accessible.
As you go through these programs, you do not need to worry about prerequisites – these programs are designed for beginners! Here are the top 10 AI programs for middle school students.
1. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Fee: AI Trailblazers - $1,790 (need based financial aid available), AI Junior Fellowship - $2,900
Application Deadline: December 3, 2023 (Winter Cohort). You can apply here!
Program Dates: AI Trailblazers - runs for a total of 25 hours over 10 weekends; AI Junior Fellowship - 12 weeks. Upcoming cohort starts on December 16, 2023.
Veritas AI is a virtual AI program for middle school and high school students founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Middle school students can pick from two options - the first is the AI Trailblazers bootcamp. Through this program, you will learn the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning, along with the basics of python. You'll work on hands-on, real-world AI projects in areas like medicine, finance, autonomous vehicles, and more under the guidance of mentors from top universities.This is best suited for students who are beginners!
If you have already gone through the bootcamp or have some experience with python, the AI Junior Fellowship is a good option for you. You get to work 1-1 with a mentor to build out your own project or research paper over 12 weeks. This is a great way to work with AI at the intersection of various topics and showcase your passion.
You can take a look at the program brochure here.
2. Data Science to AI at the Berkeley Coding Academy
Location: Virtual
Fee: $2,495. Limited scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: To be announced.
Program Dates: Held in the summer. Dates to be announced.
Berkeley’s summer course on data science to AI is focused on introducing students to the fundamentals of AI, ML, and big data science. The academy offers 1-1 classes for students aged 12-18, and a junior python coders program for ages 7-11. Through the programs, you will learn how to write and evaluate python code behind AI and build ML models from real data. This course is a good choice for you if you are looking to take part in a technical skill building course. The course has different levels for students based on their coding background. You will work in small groups to create your own projects and models.
If you’re looking to hone your technical and programming skills, and gain access to long term valuable resources like Berkeley coding academy lecture videos, slides, and portfolio projects, consider applying to this program!
3. Creativity and AI Workshop at MIT Raise
Location: Virtual
Fee: Free
Application Deadline: Varies.
Program Dates: Varies.
Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) at MIT offers a variety of valuable tutorials for students starting their AI journey. One of these offerings is the Creativity and AI Workshop for middle school.
The goal of the program and its curriculum is to teach students about creative machine learning techniques and how they can partner with AI to create art. You will participate in several hands-on activities, both plugged (using digital devices and hardware), and unplugged (activities that don’t directly use digital devices). This course encourages the explorative creation of art with and without AI tools. A strong focus will be given to GANs, which is an AI platform that can generate art and music, among many other forms of media.
RAISE is a curriculum, as opposed to the other programs that we’ve mentioned in this blog, so you might have to reach out to your teacher/instructor for more information regarding some of the curricula offered.
If you are looking to engage in self-paced learning, RAISE is a pretty good option for you. You can also choose to learn from other workshops and curriculum available on the RAISE website such as Conversational AI Tools, and PICaboo.
If you’re interested in going through the detailed curriculum, check this out!
4. Philosophy of AI at Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Virtual
Fee: $3,050. Need-based financial aid is offered.
Application Deadline: March 15, 2023
Program Dates: Typically conducted in June and July.
Eligibility: Students in grade 8 can apply.
Stanford offers a range of programs for students seeking a challenging educational experience. The Institute is designed for academic, social, and extracurricular enrichment, featuring renowned instructors and engaging programs tailored to your interests.
This program encourages students to ask the fundamental questions of what AI means. This initial question leads to some interesting philosophical issues at the intersection of artificial intelligence and raises social and ethical questions about today’s existing technology. Some of the things you will question and discuss are whether reliance on algorithms and ML (for instance, when banks make lending decisions or courts impose criminal sentences) improve fairness or make things worse, and who do we hold accountable if things go wrong? You will explore these wide-ranging issues through readings, discussions, and a variety of activities and projects.
On successfully completing the program, you will receive a certificate of completion.
Location: Virtual
Fee: Free
Application Deadline: None, only registration is required at the time of starting a course.
Program Dates: The courses are available all year-round.
A self-paced learning program offered by Google AI, these courses focus on generative AI and machine learning. They help you build a solid foundation for future research or study in the field of computer science and AI. As a middle school student, these courses are pretty well-paced, and cover complex topics in AI in a lucid and simple manner. Some of the topics covered include linear algebra for AI and ML, machine learning problem framing, and basics of machine learning.
These courses are purely self-paced, so it is up to you to set aside learning time during your summer break, or even during your school year! You can view a complete list of courses offered by Google AI that can be accessed from anywhere in the world here.
6. AI Summer Camp by Adventure AI
Location: Virtual
Fee: Up to $500.
Application deadline: The applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program dates:
Weekday Camp Options — run from July 17 - 21 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Weekend Camp Options — from the weekend of July 22 - August 20 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Adventure AI is a unique social program conducted on Discord and in virtual classes led by an AI expert. Here, you can delve into your interests using AI, generating various products, tools, and ideas related to your passions. Some of these creations encompass GPT-4-powered games, websites, art pieces, rocket designs, and more. The camp also provides a self-paced curriculum for GPT and arts, accompanied by personalized guidance from an AI expert.
Beyond this, the camp also offers chances to participate in AI competitions. It boasts flexibility, allowing students to opt for either the weekday camp or the weekend camp, with multiple time slots available for each.
Location: Virtual / In-person
Fee: Free
Application Deadline: None, only registration is required.
Program Dates: Each club has its own timeline for the academic year, which you can read about before joining/making a club of your own.
GirlsWhoCode hosts Clubs, which are free groups for students in Grade 3 and above. These clubs can be virtual or in-person and the objective is to help students learn computer science concepts like loops, variables, conditionals, and functions. As a Club member, you get a chance to engage in real-world projects, collaborate with peers, and develop your computer science skills. Clubs cover various topics and can run during summer breaks, weekends, or after school. With the guidance of a Club Facilitator and access to free tutorials and meeting guides, you'll enhance your coding skills in a flexible and safe learning environment.
If you are looking to learn while engaging with like-minded peers and be part of a community, this is a good fit for you. You can apply to join clubs/form clubs using this link.
Location: Virtual
Fee: Free
Application Deadline: None, only registration is required when you start a course.
Program Dates: The courses are available all year-round.
Deep dive into the world of AI with Code.org's innovative program, AI for Oceans. This unique initiative goes beyond coding, delving into artificial intelligence, machine learning, and ethical considerations. You won’t just be learning in this program, you'll be training actual machine learning models.
During the program, you will explore the intricacies of marine life using technology. You will enhance and customize a pre-trained model provided by the TensorFlow MobileNet project. You will also use a Support-Vector Machine.
AI for Oceans, a collaboration between Code.org and Microsoft, merges marine biology and AI in an accessible format. As a participant, you will learn about the challenges faced by ocean ecosystems and learn how to harness AI to solve them. Whether you're passionate about computer science, marine biology, or environmental conservation, this program equips you with essential skills. You will learn to analyze oceanic data, develop AI models to study marine life, and design AI-based solutions to address issues such as pollution and climate change. This is valuable for you whether you are interested in computer science or targetting a career in marine biology and oceanography.
9. Beaver Works Middle School Program at MIT
Location: Both in-person and virtual options are available.
Fee: Free
Application Deadline: The program is currently shut for 2023, but you can expect applications for the 2024 batch to open in May (tentative).
Program Dates: 4 weeks starting the Monday after the July 4 weekend, Monday-Friday.
The Beaver Works Middle School Program, an extension of MIT's Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI), offers an exciting gateway to the realms of AI and engineering for middle school students.
This immersive program places a strong emphasis on teamwork, encouraging you to engage in collaborative projects and tackle genuine real-world challenges by applying AI and engineering concepts. Additionally, you'll delve into the intricacies of crafting and programming intelligent systems, explore exciting domains like robotics and autonomous vehicles, and gain invaluable hands-on exposure to state-of-the-art technologies, thoughtfully provided as part of the program.
In essence, it's a remarkable opportunity to dive into the fascinating worlds of AI and engineering, discover their real-world applications, and cultivate your skills alongside peers who share your passion for innovative problem-solving.
10. AI For Good
Location: Virtual
Fee: Free
Application Deadline: None
Program Dates: All year round. You can view the session timings here.
AI for Good is a year-round digital platform of the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union. It is a platform where AI innovators and problem owners learn, discuss and connect to identify practical AI solutions to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The platform offers several programs – programs that cover topics such as using AI to build healthy, inclusive communities, AI for healthcare, AI for climate change solutions, cybersecurity and AI, and much more. You can pick the programs that match your interests – most of these are 1-day sessions, and can be attended virtually. In these sessions, you will get to learn from and interact with science, technology and AI experts from around the world.
Image Source: RAISE at MIT Logo