By Andi Anderson
The 2025 National 4-H Artificial Intelligence Challenge has honored youth across the United States for creating AI-driven solutions to address important community and environmental issues.
This unique event encouraged students aged 13–18 to apply technology in meaningful ways.
Created by Alexa Groff of Iowa State University Extension and Mark Light of North Carolina A&T, the challenge introduced participants to AI tools and ethical considerations, offering them a chance to design practical applications with real-world impact.
In the 16–18 age group, first place went to Winston Fan from Iowa for “PsychSPT,” a mental health assessment system powered by large language models. Henry Zou, also from Iowa, earned second place for an AI-powered system to detect Corn Gray Leaf Spot, showcasing the potential of AI in precision agriculture.
Third place was awarded to Sraja Rastogi and Sai Bethi from North Carolina for “Smart Sprouts,” a creative agricultural optimization system using AI and Arduinos.
In the 13–15 age group, Morgan Bergstrom from Maine took first place with a chatbot to help communities build fish-friendly water systems. Summer Wayne from Florida earned second place for her project supporting urban green space conservation, and Alex Pellin from Ohio came third for using AI to analyze gun violence in his community.
“These remarkable projects show how youth can harness AI to make a meaningful impact on their communities,” said Groff. “Seeing these young people take emerging technology and turn it into solutions that matter has been inspiring.”
The challenge is open to all youth aged 13–18, and the next edition launches in September 2025. Projects ranged from environmental protection to farm disease detection, highlighting how the next generation is already leading innovation in agriculture and beyond.
To explore all winning entries, visit the 2025 AI Challenge by 4-H project board online.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-poike
Categories: Iowa, Education