Alpine School District students in grades 10 through 12 have until Oct. 1 to submit essays proposing AI policy for Utah schools in a statewide contest, according to a September 18 report.
The "Shaping Utah's AI Future" contest offers cash prizes of up to $1,000 and a seat at a student policy congress held at the Utah State Capitol in November. Students from Lone Peak, Skyridge, and Lehi high schools are eligible to compete.
The competition is sponsored by the Utah Senate, the Sutherland Institute, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), and the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools (UAPCS). Eligibility extends to students in public, charter, private, and microschools, as well as those in homeschool programs.
Participants must write an essay between 1,000 and 1,500 words without AI assistance. The prompt asks students to address who should decide which AI tools are permitted in schools and how those decisions should be made. Students must also select one of six policy topics, which include student privacy, academic integrity, teacher discretion over classroom AI use, and how schools purchase AI tools, according to KSL.
Sutherland Institute President and CEO Todd Weiler told KSL on Monday, Sept. 14, that the initiative comes as people attempt to determine how to use AI and what guardrails should be in place.
The top three essays statewide will earn $1,000, $500, and $250, respectively. Winners and 29 Senate district delegates will be announced on Oct. 15.
One student from each of Utah's 29 Senate districts will travel to the Capitol for the Utah Student AI Policy Congress on Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21. During the congress, delegates will caucus, debate AI proposals on the Senate floor, and vote on a Utah Student AI Policy Resolution to present to state policymakers.
