Is Your Child Ready for the AI Era? Checking out Hackathons Could Be a Game-Changer

Discovering AI: Parenting Edition By Amy D. Love

As we guide our children into the future, one thing is clear: preparing kids for success in the Age of AI requires intentionality. The world they will navigate is rapidly changing, and it's up to us to give them the exposure they need to thrive. The question is how do we do this in a way that feels tangible and meaningful for our kids?

I’ve often spoken about the importance of integrating entrepreneurship into our children’s daily lives. Teaching them these foundational principles early on will not only foster resilience but also help them recognize opportunities in a world where AI and technology will continue to reshape industries. STEM education is critical, as is experiential learning—those moments outside the classroom—where real insights are born.

Over the past year, there has been a surge of innovation conferences, hackathons, and entrepreneurship events tailored for students. These aren’t just happening at the collegiate level; U.S. high schools are increasingly participating in and even hosting their own. According to Hack Club, over 370 high school hackathons took place in 2023 alone, providing students with hands-on experiences where they collaborated, problem-solved, and built innovative projects. Events like these are frequently supported by organizations like Major League Hacking (MLH), and they foster an environment where young minds can stretch their creative muscles.

In addition to hackathons, competitions like the Diamond Challenge offer students a platform to present real-world solutions to pressing problems. These opportunities, available both in the U.S. and globally, expose kids to entrepreneurial thinking, pushing them to explore creative solutions that can have a significant impact on society.

In higher education, the focus on entrepreneurship and innovation has never been stronger. Hundreds of colleges and universities host their own hackathons and conferences, designed to cultivate creativity and entrepreneurial skills. Take events like RevolutionUC or HackHarvard, where hundreds of students gather to develop new technologies, competing with peers from around the world. These large-scale student-run events aren’t just fun—they’re a crucial part of how we prepare students for careers in rapidly evolving industries.

One standout event this past weekend took place at San Jose State University, located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Students formed teams to tackle real-world problems, from issues affecting international students to local infrastructure challenges. As someone deeply invested in youth entrepreneurship, I was invited to bring my Girl Scout troop to serve as community judges. It was an incredible opportunity for the girls to interact with the university students, learn about their problem statements, and evaluate their solutions. The girls even helped determine which team walked away with the $1,500 prize!

This experience was profound for our troop. Not only did it provide them with a tangible way to understand innovation, it also allowed them to see themselves as capable of problem-solving. They left the event inspired, energized, and eager to think about how they could make a difference.

It’s moments like these that highlight the importance of exposing our children to these learning experiences. In the Age of AI, curiosity, problem-solving, and innovation are the essential skills that will set them apart. According to the World Economic Forum, 65% of children entering primary school today will work in job types that don’t even exist yet. As parents and caregivers, we need to actively seek out opportunities for our kids to engage in experiential learning. Events like hackathons and entrepreneurship competitions offer valuable hands-on exposure to the skills that matter in the future.

The road ahead is filled with new challenges and opportunities, and the best way we can prepare our children is by ensuring they are curious, confident, and ready to tackle the unknown. Whether through STEM, entrepreneurship, or simply learning to solve real-world problems, we have the power to give them the tools they need to thrive in a world shaped by AI.

Let’s continue to find these opportunities, and let’s make sure our kids are not just prepared but empowered to lead the future.