Johns Creek High School Students Compete in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Prompt-a-thon
Johns Creek High School Students Compete in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Prompt-a-thon
Question: What would happen if you used AI to create and promote a school-based AI event with the following prompt?
“Please write a quote talking about Microsoft’s first-ever prompt-a-thon to be hosted by Dr. Steve Sweigart and Dr. Raymond Schenk at Johns Creek High School.”
Answer: You get a great introduction:
Johns Creek High School is buzzing with excitement as they gear up for Microsoft's first-ever student AI Prompt-a-thon on March 3rd! Led by Dr. Steven Sweigart and Dr. Raymond Schenk, this event promises to be a fun-filled opportunity for students to sharpen their AI prompting skills. Who knew that talking to artificial intelligence could be this much fun?
Copilot. 2025. Microsoft 365. Edited by a human. *
The statement above was brought to you by Microsoft (MS) 365 Copilot, an AI-powered software tool that helps with work tasks like writing, brainstorming, coding, and searching. Copilot was introduced in March 2023 as a new way for businesses to work and is utilized in Fulton County Schools (FCS) to innovate instruction.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we learn, work, and innovate, and students at Johns Creek High School (JCHS) are getting a front-row seat to the future. On March 3, Microsoft's first-ever student AI Prompt-a-thon challenged Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) students to sharpen their AI skills in a fast-paced, interactive competition. Hosted by CTAE teachers Dr. Raymond Schenk and Dr. Stephen Sweigart, the competition tested speed and accuracy.
Microsoft has been working closely with JCHS CTAE faculty on Copilot implementation by high school students. Microsoft representatives were on hand to assist with Copilot at the event.
Prompt-a-thon events have been happening globally at the university level and now in high schools. The MS Copilot Student Prompt-a-thon is a hands-on learning opportunity for age 13+ end-users to build effective prompts, learn from peers, and stimulate innovation through collaboration. AI helps students solve problems. It provides valuable resources and can fast-track learning.
Dr. Schenk, who has also served as a Navy pilot, has seen AI evolve from his unique perspective working on learning models for U.S. agencies in the early 2000s.
“It is paramount that we maintain our position as computer science innovators for our students,” Schenk says. “The computer science domain is expanding and accelerating faster than ever before. We must get ahead of the AI revolution so that our students are prepared to harness this technology in their professional careers.”
After a conversation with his son who was curious about AI and doing his own research, CTAE Engineering teacher Dr. Sweigart, who has worked in education for 27 years, recognized that students “need to learn it and embrace it as a thought partner. It can make you dumb, or it can make you smart. Our role as educators is to teach students how to use AI productively to enhance their existing and future work.”