The next big name in tech is a high school senior from Holmdel, N.J.
Enrolled in High Technology High School, part of Monmouth County Vocational School District (MCVSD), Ishani Singh has taken up the cause to introduce more girls around the world to artificial intelligence (AI). She founded and is the lead instructor for Girls Rule AI, an international nonprofit to empower other females with the tools to build solutions using AI.
The organization focuses on building the foundational knowledge and programming skills required to use the latest AI models while raising awareness of AI issues such as bias in datasets.
“The first impetus was from me going to research competitions and science fairs during my freshman year,” Singh said. “I noticed that there were very few girls in my category. It jumped out to me immediately that there was a need for a community of girls in AI.”
As Singh progressed through her research on using an AI model to automatically translate English to American Sign Language and vice versa, she also developed the foundation for Girls Rule AI, including the curricula. Her parents, Ajita John and Jayant Singh, served as her first students as she tested the courses she developed with them.
“It was kind of hard because I had to come up with everything myself,” Singh said. “Creating coding activities from scratch and learning how to structure classes. It took about a year.”
Singh’s pursuit of a focused high school education at High Technology High School provided her with opportunities to explore technology in depth through both coursework and research. It also ensured she could find mentorship among the skilled instructors.
She credited her research teacher at High Technology High School, Craig Queenan, for his invaluable guidance as she progressed through her sophomore research and developed the curriculum. “His passion for research transferred to me and inspired me to go forward. If it wasn’t for that research, I wouldn’t have started this,” Singh said.
The first courses she taught were held the summer of 2023, following her sophomore year. “That first class was 10 to 15 students, and it was my first time teaching,” Singh said. “They were all amazing; all very curious and very smart.”
In less than two years, the organization has grown exponentially. More than 250 students from 25 states and six countries have taken her free Basic and Advanced AI courses, which she continually needs to update because AI is developing so rapidly. Courses are free and open to girls who are 13 or older. It’s helpful to know a bit of Python programming language beforehand, but it is not required.
Many of her former students have become devotees to the cause, joining Singh’s venture as instructors, teaching assistants, and leads of local chapters of Girls Rule AI that have sprouted in California, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey and even Kenya in Africa. She now has eight chapter leads, four teaching assistants and three instructors.
Good Morning America featured Singh and Girls Rule AI in December. In March, because of her work with Girls Rule AI, she was an invited participant in the Indiaspora Forum for Good, a multi-day event held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, that convened 500 leaders from 34 countries to discuss various topics including responsible AI, climate resilience, healthcare innovations, geopolitics, academia and other topics.
“Moving forward, I want to try to give more of the teaching roles to my former students so I can focus on scaling the organization and developing new material,” Singh said. “I do still like to teach, but I think it’s important to have my former students in that role. It’s a really nice experience to see them teach new students as well.”
“Ishani’s story is one we want to share and celebrate as we continue to highlight the opportunities presented across our state’s county vocational-technical schools,” said Dr. Charles Ford, MCVSD superintendent. “She certainly got a head start on her future and has helped countless others across the world do the same by sharing her knowledge and passion.”
Learn more:
Visit Monmouth County Vocational School District: https://www.mcvsd.org
Explore the range of career programs offered across all 21 NJ county vocational-technical schools by visiting: https://careertechnj.org
