JA Worldwide Contributes New Learning Experiences to the Hour of AI
December 5, 2026
The Hour of AI from CSforAll invites young people around the world to take their first step into understanding and creating with artificial intelligence. It builds on more than a decade of success with the Hour of Code and is grounded in a simple idea: students are not just users of technology. They’re creators who can shape the future when they learn how AI works and how to use it responsibly. That vision aligns closely with JA Worldwide’s mission to prepare young people for economic opportunity and with our belief that entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health all grow stronger when students have access to emerging tools.
This year, two JA Worldwide learning experiences are featured in the global Hour of AI collection: “Fresh and Forecasted: Lemonade by the Data” and “Crack the Tough Stuff.” Both invite students to experiment, think critically, and apply human skills as they learn to work with AI.
Fresh and Forecasted: Lemonade by the Data
In this activity, students imagine they own a lemonade stand and quickly discover that running a business requires more than enthusiasm. Weather changes demand. Profit depends on smart decisions. Data matters. With support from a classroom AI chatbot and geography-specific information, students build a simple financial model, test assumptions, and decide how to price and plan for the day ahead. The experience gives them an accessible introduction to entrepreneurial thinking while showing how AI can strengthen analysis, not replace their judgment. Try it.
For JA Worldwide Learning Content Manager Alex Petre, the inspiration behind “Fresh and Forecasted” came from a simple question about possibility: What if classrooms operated like business incubators? “Everyone at JA aims to make our strategic plan a reality, and we all work to deliver learning experiences to foster thriving communities with measurable economic impact,” Alex explained. “It is not only about a business perspective on our strategic priorities and enablers, but about really thinking ‘What if classrooms were business incubators for business ideas?’ and ‘What if every student launched a business before graduation?’ AI and LLMs are technologies that can accelerate entrepreneurial initiatives, and this is why we have partnered with Code.org to find new synergies in supporting youth.”
Crack the Tough Stuff
Some challenges feel too big or too technical to tackle at first glance. In this session, students start by breaking down a difficult concept using traditional brainstorming. Once they’ve identified what they understand and what still feels confusing, they turn to NotebookLM as a thinking partner. Together, the group transforms complex material into clear, relevant insights. The activity mirrors what real-world innovators do every day: use tools to deepen understanding, expand creativity, and refine ideas. Try it.
“Fresh and Forecasted” and “Crack the Tough Stuff” were created by JA Worldwide Learning Content Manager Alex Petre and Learning Experience Designer Mireille Mikhail under the direction of Emmalyn Green, Director of Learning Design.
For JA Worldwide Learning Experience Designer Mireille Mikhail, the inspiration behind “Crack the Tough Stuff” came from her love of simplifying hard topics. “NotebookLM uses different techniques that match different learning styles. I chose to apply this to the field of entrepreneurship because a big part of the journey is understanding the problem you’re trying to solve, and that often requires technical understanding. This activity aims to support that part of the process.”
Young people need to learn to use AI, Mireille believes, because it provides an opportunity to expand and amplify the human skills that already make them powerful learners. “It’s not that AI is a basic human need. We lived without it before. But it presents a powerful opportunity: a chance to expand, amplify, and showcase their human skills. When used intentionally, AI strengthens creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can also significantly expand the impact young people can have in their communities, in their future jobs, and in the wider world around them.”
Alex agrees and emphasizes AI’s role in developing adaptable, future-ready thinkers. “AI is a technology that will change the way society works in ways we are just starting to understand,” he says. “By getting acquainted with Artificial Intelligence, young people start to develop future-proof skills regardless of the industry they will work in. This process of becoming better equipped for workforce readiness helps young people become more adaptable, develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.”
JA is uniquely positioned to teach AI literacy because of the way our programs work. “At JA, our programs rely on project-based learning and experiential learning. Both approaches create a natural space for experimentation and iteration, making them ideal environments for teaching about and with AI. They allow us to help students understand what AI is while also giving them the freedom to experiment with it, apply their human skills, and shape how they use it. This ensures AI becomes a thinking partner rather than a tool that replaces their innate abilities, the uniqueness of their minds, and their personal way of thinking.”
Alex highlights another dimension of JA’s global reach and inclusive design. “The Hour of AI’s catalogue includes amazing resources for youth, and through our contribution, we are providing an inclusive perspective,” he says. “We support even teachers and students who are not aficionados of Computer Science and those who may erroneously believe that AI is not for them to actually try to use AI to research a simple business idea, such as a lemonade stand, or to investigate a topic that seems hard to crack. Being connected to our network of JA staff and educators in 100+ countries, we acknowledge that not all students have access to broadband connectivity and high-performance devices, so our activities may also be completed in low-tech-equipped classrooms. This global perspective and the ability to find solutions tailored for local impact are what position JA in a unique position.”
Hour of AI emphasizes that participation begins with access. AI literacy should be available to every learner in every community. JA shares that belief. Through our global network, we reach young people from diverse backgrounds and help them gain the skills and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing world. When students learn to use AI, they learn to see new possibilities for solving problems, strengthening their communities, and building futures they shape themselves.
The future isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we build together. With hands-on activities like “Fresh and Forecasted” and “Crack the Tough Stuff,” JA helps young people take the first step into that future with curiosity, responsibility, and creativity.