UHS students take part in national conversation about AI
Published 6:00 pm Thursday, September 17, 2026
UMATILLA — Two Umatilla High School students who represented Oregon in a national conversation about artificial intelligence in education this summer are continuing to share their experience and perspectives with leaders closer to home.
State Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland invited UHS sophomores Wyatt Wilhelm and Soraya Rincon to testify on Sept. 9 before the Oregon Senate Interim Committee on Education, which Frederick chairs, according to a news release from the Umatilla School district. The hearing was on education policy related to artificial intelligence. The students shared their experience at the Day of AI event and the Students First Act they helped develop with fellow students in Boston this July.
Students meet with Rep. Smith
Wilhelm and Rincon on Sept. 15 continued the conversation with state Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner. During a visit to the Umatilla School District, Smith joined the two students for lunch and heard about their experience.
The students answered questions about traveling to Boston, testifying before the Senate committee and some of the larger questions surrounding AI in education, including its potential effects on critical thinking and how AI affects parents and teachers.
The students said their message was AI should be used as a tool, much like a calculator, but not be used to replace critical thinking skills. Smith congratulated the students on the opportunities they had taken part in and their role in representing Oregon.
Smith also shared his own experiences in public office. He talked about what he learned when he first entered office and offered advice to the students as they continue to take part in conversations with varying opinions.
Travel to Boston for AI event
In July, Wilhelm and Rincon traveled to Boston as Oregon’s representatives at the Student Senate on AI Policy event. The event brought together high school students representing all 50 states to discuss the future of artificial intelligence in education and develop recommendations for how AI should and should not be used in schools.
The AASA Oregon Delegation selected Umatilla High to send student representatives because of its strong STEM and robotics programs. Wilhelm and Rincon are leaders for the programs in the Umatilla School District. They are also engaged in the early college program at UHS, an opportunity that gives them the chance to earn credits from Arizona State University, Blue Mountain Community College and Umatilla High School.
While at the AI Policy event, according to the news release, Wilhelm and Rincon stepped into the role of student senators, working alongside their peers to discuss, debate, and vote on the use of AI.
Varying views on AI benefits
“There were lots of diverse opinions,” Wilhelm said in the release. “Some student senators were in favor of AI in school while others were completely against the idea and said it should not be in schools at all.”
Wilhelm said some students were more open to hearing other people’s ideas than others, making navigating those conversations an interesting experience and one he said he learned a lot from.
The students’ work ultimately resulted in the Students First Act, a student-created framework addressing AI literacy and academic integrity. The student senators approved the proposal and Wilhelm and Rincon have had the opportunity to bring this experience directly to state leaders.
UHS Principal Rick Cotterell and Human Resources Coordinator Josy Chavez, a former Umatilla city councilor, accompanied Wilhelm and Rincon as chaperones and also participated in the event. Travel expenses were provided by Amazon.
Wilhelm and Rincon said their experiences have been more than learning about AI. They said it has challenged them to listen to different perspectives, share their own ideas, and take part in conversations about issues that directly affect students.