YETI's very own, Jo McGinty, was recently covered for a story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. In the piece, Jo discusses how she believes AI can be used responsibly, what some of the dangers are, and how it  she uses it in her own creative process. Click here to read more about Jo and the great work YETI is doing! 

This year, YETI visited the Google Campus in Mountain View, and Common Sense Media in San Francisco to learn from their staff about how each organization is thinking about and building policy around how youth access and interact with emerging technology. We also got a first-hand look at what it's like to work in the tech industry.             

In March, members of YETI were a part of a student panel hosted by the American Association of University Women about the use of AI in the classroom. During the session, moderated by our group facilitator, Stephanie Sumarna, the students shared what excites and concerns them about AI, how it is actually being used by their peers, and how they see it shaping the future of education. 

Stephanie Sumarna is an EdTech & Innovation Teacher on Special Assignment at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, where she has spent the last six years building programs that help educators and students find their footing with technology — on their own terms. She co-founded YETI (Youth Empowerment through Technology & Innovation) because she believes the people most affected by AI in schools should have a hand in shaping how it's used. A former third-grade teacher with nearly 20 years in education, Stephanie brings warmth, curiosity, and a deep respect for student voice to everything she does. She is a 2025 Titan Award recipient and a national conference speaker on AI literacy and educator empowerment.