High School Students Dive into AI for Community Health
Seventeen first-generation high school students embarked on a transformative summer experience at Northern Arizona University (NAU), where they explored the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and health communication. This initiative aimed to empower these young minds to address pressing health issues within their communities.
The AI-Advocate Teen Program, masterminded by Zhan Xu, an associate professor in the School of Communication, is a facet of the Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Summer Academy at NAU. Supported by a grant from the National Communication Association Communication Pedagogy, the program is part of TRIO, a federally funded initiative to guide students from disadvantaged backgrounds toward higher education.
Chris Wilkens, assistant director of student life experience in UBMS, emphasized the program’s focus on students from five targeted high schools in northern Arizona. “AI is shaping their current and future landscape at a rapid pace,” Wilkens noted. The goal was to equip students with the understanding and skills needed to use AI and social media effectively for targeted communication.
Rebecca Amend, a senior NAU student majoring in creative media and film and strategic communications, led as the program instructor. Initially, she observed hesitance and skepticism among students regarding AI. “I expected these high school students to be really big fans of artificial intelligence and found out that a lot of them weren’t,” Amend said. She facilitated discussions on AI ethics and application, guiding students to integrate AI thoughtfully into their work.
Throughout the program, students developed critical skills in evaluating AI-generated content and leveraging digital tools. As a culmination of their learning, they executed advocacy campaigns on Instagram covering topics like mental health, Indigenous empowerment, and responsible social media use.
Amend shared, “We initially envisioned a strong focus on public health, but we also wanted students to have room to address broader health, well-being and community issues that were meaningful to them.” The program enabled students to engage with issues they were passionate about, from encouraging teenage sleep to tackling emotional abuse.
Imani Wallace, a participant and junior at Monument Valley High School, reflected on the experience as enlightening. “I learned information about AI and how it is used in certain areas, as well as more details on how it works,” Wallace stated. She noted the dual nature of AI and social media as both potential disconnectors and connectors.
In their final projects, students harnessed AI for creative brainstorming, developing videos with calls to action on their chosen advocacy issues. Amend remarked, “It was just wonderful to see their creativity and hear how artificial intelligence kind of supported it when they met roadblocks along the way.”
The program’s debut at NAU marks the start of a hopeful journey. Xu expressed aspirations to expand the initiative, underscoring the importance of equipping youth with the skills to use AI responsibly and effectively. “One of the most rewarding parts of the program was seeing how much we, as adults and educators, can learn from young people,” Xu said. He emphasized the role of educators in providing tools and confidence to young advocates.
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