AIM was excited to join UNO’s inaugural OmahaxAI conference at KANEKO Tuesday, October 7th. AIM’s Director of Development Blaine Nelson was honored to be one of three judges for the intra conference student AI competition. The competition was designed to celebrate and highlight how the next generation envisions using artificial intelligence in their careers. Contestants were judged on the following criteria:

Creativity & Innovation: How original is your idea? Does it present a new approach or apply AI in unexpected ways? Judges look for submissions that think beyond conventional applications.

Potential Impact: Will your concept make a meaningful difference in your chosen field? Proposals are evaluated on their potential to solve real problems or create new opportunities.

Technical Feasibility: Could your idea reasonably be implemented with current or near-future AI capabilities? While visionary thinking is encouraged, concepts should have a path to reality.

Clear Communication: How effectively do you explain your concept? Judges value well-structured proposals and presentations that clearly document your development process and decision-making.

With Aditi Rai being awarded a $1,000 scholarship for 1st place, Jingzian Gin being awarded a $600 scholarship for 2nd place, and Narges Shakerian being awarded a $400 scholarship for 3rd place.

On August 22, AIM’s Greater Nebraska Outreach Coordinator, Gretchen, represented AIM at the UNK Blue and Gold Showcase in Kearney. This event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with both new and returning UNK students, as well as their families, to share information about AIM’s services. To boost engagement, Gretchen introduced a Rocketbook Raffle, where three lucky students could win a Rocketbook courtesy of AIM. The raffle proved to be a great success, drawing significant interest from attendees—especially around AIM’s FAFSA Completion Services. These services, supported through AIM’s federally funded TRiO grants, are designed to help first-generation and low-income students overcome barriers to higher education by guiding them through the financial aid process. By assisting students in completing the FAFSA accurately, AIM ensures that they can access the maximum amount of federal, state, and institutional aid available. Despite the rain shortening the event to just two hours, turnout remained strong, and AIM’s presence left a lasting impression.

On Sunday, August 24, AIM’s Brain Exchange team and Jessica Coffman from AIM Code School brought hands-on STEM excitement to Waterloo Days, where over 50 children explored creativity by designing bubble wands with 3D pens before testing their creations with bubbles. Erin Lasiter, Senior Vice President and COO, was also on hand to strengthen community ties and share how AIM’s programs uplift learners across Nebraska. Notably, Isaac Piper, Director of Innovation Programs, continues to lead impactful youth outreach—heavily contributing to AIM’s successful engagement with more than 3,000 youth participants across its programs in 2024. Events like this exemplify how AIM fosters early tech literacy and innovation, connecting children to the tools and inspiration they need to envision a bright, technology-driven future for themselves and their communities.

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In June, AIM’s Youth Academy  student Bernadine Ambatobe attended the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) National Student Leadership Congress program in Washington D.C. 

AIM celebrates AIM Youth Academy’s Bryan High School student Bernadine Ambatobe, who applied for acceptance into the prestigious Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) National Student Leadership Congress program in Washington D.C. in June. 

She attended this hard-to-get-into program, which brings together 100 Upward Bound TRIO students from across the country to engage in hands-on civic leadership experiences. During her week in the nation’s capital, Bernadine advocated for TRIO programs with Nebraska’s elected officials, debated policy issues, led a mock congress session and participated in a community service project.

“Never did I imagine this opportunity would land in my favor—but to my surprise, it did,” Bernadine said. “I spent the best week of my life in Washington, D.C., flying solo for the very first time and stepping into a whole new state of possibility. Together, we stood for something bigger than ourselves, advocating for TRIO programs like AIM Upward Bound. AIM provided me an experience I’ll never forget, and when it came time to give back, I was truly honored to stand up and do my part to make sure it continues for others like me.”

The experience is designed to empower students through public speaking, teamwork and civic engagement while building lifelong connections with TRIO peers from across the country. We are so proud of Bernadine for representing AIM’s Upward Bound program and Nebraska on a national stage!

Students fly drones at Avenue Scholars Summer Boot Camp. This was part of the AIM Institute IT session students took part in for the camp.

The AIM Institute was honored to participate in the Avenue Scholars of Southwest Iowa Summer Career Boot Camp, hosted by partners at Iowa Western Community College.

Throughout June, students from school districts along the I-29 corridor engaged in a series of hands-on career boot camps focused on high-demand, high-skill trades. The camp offered five various career tracks for students to explore, and AIM served as the lead service provider for the IT Boot Camp.

During the IT sessions, students explored front-end web development, 3D printing, drones and robotics. Thanks to support from the AIM’s grant partner, Google Code Next, nine high school students earned certifications in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, gaining valuable skills that set the foundation for future careers in tech.