WASHINGTON, D.C., May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Out of 20,000 youth and 2,500 project submissions nationwide, four 4-H youth will advance to the national finals for the Presidential AI Challenge, a national competition focused on using artificial intelligence to solve real-world problems.
Anirudh Rao of Colorado, Cooper Lawhorn of Indiana, along with Iowa youth Srihari Kumaresan and David Shi will travel to Washington, D.C., in June to compete in the national finals. Their projects highlight community disaster relief, connection to food pantries, and increasing government financial efficiency.
Anirudh Rao (13) – Colorado State University Extension
Anirudh’s project explores how AI can support science and sustainability education while helping communities prepare for disaster response efforts. Through his project, he leads workshops that teach youth basic AI skills, pattern recognition, data analysis, and problem-solving through hands-on activities. Anirudh leads workshops for students around the world to help younger audiences better understand AI concepts and how technology can be used in their communities. He is also a National STEM Champion for his project Mirai: An Alternative for Electrochemical Batteries.
Through 4-H, Rao built leadership, public speaking, and teamwork skills while serving in leadership roles including president, vice president, activity leader, and historian. “4-H taught me that leadership is about responsibility, consistency and helping others grow,” Rao said. “These experiences make me want to keep finding solutions and inspire more young people to see how technology and innovation can create meaningful impact.”
Cooper Lawhorn (12) – Purdue Extension
Cooper’s project was inspired by his own community service. PantryPals is a solution that uses AI technologies for community health and environmental benefits. Channeling his passion for service and engineering, his intent with this project is to create meaningful and lasting impact in communities nationwide.
Through another 4-H project, Cooper created Scribbles and Smiles where he collected more than 300 boxes of washable markers, 100 get well cards and 30 STEAM learning kits for children in a local Indiana hospital. As a 4-H Youth Engaged in Service (YES) grantee, he developed skills in budgeting, grant writing and project planning.
“4-H has taught me that I don’t have to wait until I’m an adult to start making a difference,” Lawhorn said. “I know how to take an idea and build it into something real, and that makes me feel great.”
Srihari Kumaresan (15) and David Shi (16), – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Srihari and David’s project, Intelligent Municipal Finance, uses AI tools to track spending, identify duplicate payments and unusual transactions, review contracts, and predict budget problems. The team estimates that even a small improvement in spending efficiency could save Iowa communities millions of dollars annually.
“This project matters to us because it’s not theoretical,” said Kumaresan. “These are real communities facing real problems, and we wanted to create something that could help protect resources for schools, fire departments and community programs.”
Building a Life and Work Ready Generation
For almost 125 years, 4-H has prepared youth to be ready for work and life. As those needs evolve, so has 4-H. Today, being AI savvy is a critical skillset. Access to artificial intelligence education through initiatives such as the 4-H AI in Ag Challenge, supported by Microsoft, is a part of that. This challenge helps youth explore how emerging technologies can support agriculture, food systems and environmental sustainability while gaining experience in data analysis, problem-solving, and responsible AI use.
A recent 4-H survey shows that 88% of teens anticipate they will need AI skills in their future work, nearly 6 in 10 say AI can help solve problems and improve lives. Through hands-on learning, 4-H youth are gaining experience in leadership, communication and technology while becoming Beyond Ready for the future.
“Young people need opportunities to understand how AI works and how it connects to industries they see every day, including agriculture,” said Rachel Haselby, Purdue Extension Specialist – 4-H Computer Science. “These national challenges give youth hands-on experience with technology, data and problem-solving skills that will continue to grow in demand and also benefit their everyday community.”
ABOUT 4-H:
4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. 4-H programs reach nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. Through the Beyond Ready national initiative, 4-H aims to increase that number to ten million youth annually by 2030. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.
Learn more about 4-H at 4-H.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- 4-H Youth Advance in Presidential AI Challenge