Cyber Innovation Center Hosts Presidential AI Challenge Celebration Showcasing Local Student Innovation
Cyber Innovation Center President, Kevin Nolten congratulates participants and state winners of the Presidential AI Challenge Celebration, on Apr. 7, 2026. (Cyber Innovation Center Photo)
BOSSIER CITY, La. — The Cyber Innovation Center (CIC) hosted a special Presidential AI Challenge Celebration on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, recognizing student innovation and achievement in artificial intelligence (AI) from across Northwest Louisiana. The event highlighted projects developed by local students who participated in the Presidential AI Challenge, a national initiative designed to introduce K–12 students to the power and potential of AI.
The celebration reflects months of learning, creativity, and problem-solving supported by CYBER.ORG, the academic initiative of the Cyber Innovation Center, which provides K-12 educators with resources and curriculum to integrate cybersecurity and AI into the classroom.
Students from Caddo and Bossier Parish schools presented their projects as virtual posters, demonstrating how they have applied AI concepts to address local challenges within their communities.
Among the showcased projects, two have earned top honors at the state level in the Presidential AI Challenge:
Hearts for the Homeless, an AI-driven initiative focused on matching resources and services with homeless shelters, designed by students from South Highlands Elementary Magnet School
WordWizard Dyslexia – Friendly Reading Support, a tool designed to support individuals with dyslexia by enhancing reading accessibility through AI-powered assistance, designed by students from Louisiana Key Academy Caddo
South Highlands Elementary Magnet School students pose with their state-recognized project, Hearts for the Homeless. (Cyber Innovation Center Photo)
Louisiana Key Academy Caddo students, their teacher, and principal pose with students’ state-recognized project, WordWizard Dyslexia – Friendly Reading Support (Cyber Innovation Center Photo)
The celebration also highlights the broader impact of early exposure to emerging technologies. “These students are not just learning about AI. They are using it to make a meaningful difference,” said Kevin Nolten, President of the Cyber Innovation Center. “The Presidential AI Challenge Celebration is an opportunity to recognize their hard work and inspire continued innovation in our region.”
About the Cyber Innovation Center
Cyber Innovation Center (CIC), located in Bossier City, Louisiana, is the anchor of the 3,000-acre National Cyber Research Park and serves as the catalyst for the development and expansion of a knowledge-based workforce throughout the region. As a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation, CIC fosters collaboration among its partners and accelerates technology, research, and development. One of its primary missions is to develop a sustainable knowledge-based workforce that can support the growing needs of government, industry, and academic partners.