A group of first-year students at St. John’s University recently led a workshop to teach high schoolers about responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use. The event, held on November 12 at the D’Angelo Center on the university’s Queens campus, brought together students from Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter High School in Brooklyn for an interactive session focused on the ethical use of AI.

Organized by the Department of Core Studies in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the workshop allowed St. John’s First-Year Seminar students to share their classroom knowledge by mentoring visiting high schoolers. The agenda included demonstrations and discussions about sourcing information with AI, identifying bias in AI-generated content, and understanding when dependence on AI could become academic dishonesty.

“Using technology responsibly is not just a classroom exercise—it can shape how students learn, create, and engage with their community,” said Omar Lopez ’11G, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Core Studies, who organized the event.

High school participants engaged in quizzes testing their understanding of AI concepts for a chance to win university merchandise. Gianel Oscar Hernandez commented: “In today’s world, AI is everywhere. It is important to learn how to use it responsibly and understand what it can and cannot do before going to college.” Another student, Isabel Fernandez, said: “This event is amazing. Everyone here is so kind and professional. The AI demonstrations were incredible. It is inspiring to see how much you can explore here.”

St. John’s accounting student Conor Guilfoyle highlighted why teaching responsible AI use before college is important: “The consequences can be severe, even for innocent mistakes.” He added that peer-to-peer instruction helps younger students grasp new technologies more easily: “It is valuable to learn a tool if you have been taught by someone who has used it... It can be easier to grasp the concept.”

Teachers from New Beginnings echoed this sentiment. Zack Krajcik said: “AI is not going anywhere. It is going to be a big part of their futures. It is a tool they will have to learn to use responsibly, especially as they move into college.”

Luca Iandoli, Ph.D., Dean of The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies at St. John’s University, attended the event and pointed out that efforts like this workshop align with the university's initiatives such as its new AI Resource Hub designed to provide training and access to digital tools.

Sophie R. Bell, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Core Studies at St. John’s University explained: “The curriculum is an important place for students to foster their own vision of social justice; to practice effective communication in a variety of contexts; to appreciate different cultural, economic, and religious perspectives; and to be intellectually curious... Students can only do the hard work of honing these skills if they develop the independent thinking that prepares them for the ethical and cognitive discipline necessary to wield AI tools in ways that serve their intellectual development rather than replacing that development.”

The First-Year Seminar course at St John's aims not only at critical thinking but also encourages personal engagement with New York City through faculty-designed courses built around each professor's academic discipline.