A group of first-year students at St. John’s University led a workshop for high schoolers from Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter High School, focusing on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI). The event took place on November 12 at the D’Angelo Center on the university’s Queens campus and was organized by the Department of Core Studies in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The workshop included demonstrations and discussions run entirely by First-Year Seminar students. The visiting high schoolers learned about topics such as sourcing information from AI, identifying bias in AI-generated content, and understanding when using AI could be considered cheating. Interactive quizzes were held during the event, with students competing for university merchandise.
Omar Lopez ’11G, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Core Studies who organized the event, said: “Using technology responsibly is not just a classroom exercise—it can shape how students learn, create, and engage with their community.”
High school student 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.” Isabel Fernandez added: “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 stressed that teaching responsible AI use before college was important because “the consequences can be severe, even for innocent mistakes.” He also noted that learning from peers made understanding new technologies easier: “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.”
New Beginnings teacher Zack Krajcik highlighted the relevance of AI education: “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 workshop and pointed out that initiatives like this are part of broader efforts at St. John’s—including its new AI Resource Hub—to provide training and access to digital tools for both students and faculty.
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 aims to help St. John’s students build critical thinking skills while engaging with New York City through courses designed by faculty members using their academic backgrounds as frameworks.
