Melania Trump had a special surprise for students during her latest school visit.
© KENT NISHIMURAOn Tuesday, Sept. 15, the First Lady traveled to Mountain View Elementary School in Jefferson, North Carolina, where she spent time with students and teachers while learning how the rural school is incorporating artificial intelligence, robotics, and engineering into the classroom.
But Melania didn't arrive empty-handed. Through her BE BEST Fostering the Future initiative, alongside NVIDIA and StudyFetch, 1,500 students in Ashe County are set to receive AI literacy training licenses, while Mountain View Elementary and other schools in the district will receive 100 robotics learning kits powered by Jetson Nano.
© Anadolu"And, I have a special surprise to help jumpstart that curiosity," Melania told the students before announcing the new technology.
"Dream big and use these AI tools to build something never created before," she continued. "Maybe one of you will create the next great robot. And if you do, make sure you bring it to the White House to show me!"
© PoolMelania goes back to the classroom:
The First Lady didn't just speak to the students about technology. She got a firsthand look at how they are already experimenting with it.
During a visit to a fifth-grade science classroom, Melania sat alongside students as their teacher led an experiment demonstrating pressure changes in the human chest cavity using balloons and a bottle. The children then used tablets and AI to transform images of their model into a video simulation.
© AnadoluThere was also a spontaneous moment during the lesson when an 11-year-old student asked Melania if he could give her a hug. Melania agreed, and the pair embraced several times.
Melania later headed to the school's media center, where she watched students build chatbots designed to research potential future careers, work with 3D printers and manipulate robotic arms.
© Anadolu"You can do anything. Anything is possible," she told the children. "The sky is the limit, right? Just never give up."
Preparing kids for an AI future:
The new resources arrive at a time when the role of artificial intelligence in children's lives is under increasing scrutiny.
While supporters see AI as an important tool for preparing students for a technology-driven future, parents, educators and experts have also raised questions about its potential impact on learning, privacy and children's development.
© AnadoluAsked about concerns surrounding children's use of AI during the visit, Melania stressed the importance of preparing young people for a future in which the technology is expected to play an increasingly significant role.
"I think they need to learn we need to lead," she said, while acknowledging that children also need to be vigilant. "But this is our future. And we need to guide them and teach them what is available. If not, they will stay behind."
© AnadoluMelania has made artificial intelligence and children's relationship with emerging technology a growing focus of her public work. Her Presidential AI Challenge, launched as part of the administration's AI education efforts, drew more than 20,000 participants from all 50 states, according to the White House.
Joining Melania at Mountain View was Carrie Robledo, a North Carolina second-grade teacher and a 2026 Presidential AI Challenge national champion. Robledo created "AI Insect Detectives," a project designed to introduce young students to artificial intelligence through science.
