Three Delaware high school teams have submitted proposals to the Presidential Artificial Intelligence (AI) Challenge under Track I (Proposal). The initiative was organized by Kenneth Barner, Charles Black Evans Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Cybersecurity, Assurance, and Privacy (CCAP), and Austin Brockmeier, assistant professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. National Science Foundation funding supported the effort to promote AI literacy and real-world problem-solving.
All teams developed comprehensive proposals and presentation posters addressing community challenges under the supervision of parents, educators, or nonprofit leaders. Faculty mentors provided guidance on AI applications and competition requirements through virtual meetings.
Joseph Zogheib (Concord High School) proposed integrating ethical AI into Delaware public schools to mitigate the misuse of general-purpose chatbots and reduce educational disparities. Robert Evans, Rohit Marath, and Sajjan Subramanian (Caravel Academy) developed the Traffic Optimization Feedback Unit (TOFU), an AI-driven system to improve traffic flow and public transportation feedback. Alvin Abbey (Odyssey Charter School) proposed “Study Buddy,” a responsible AI tutor designed to support personalized, ethical academic assistance and encourage homework engagement.
Professor Barner noted that the projects reflect thoughtful, ethically grounded AI solutions to real-world problems.
All compliant submissions will receive a Presidential Certificate of Participation. State Champions will be announced March 16, 2026, with advancement to Regional and National Championships in Washington, D.C., June 7–10, 2026. The teams will also present their work at a spring AI Showcase hosted by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Delaware.