Technology Wasn't the Lesson — They Were

GMUL AI Summer Camp scholars at the Capstone Presentation, ThriveOn King — July 16, 2026.

MILWAUKEE — The Greater Milwaukee Urban League capped off its first-ever AI Summer Camp with a Capstone Presentation event on Thursday, July 16, at the Neighborhood Room at ThriveOn King, where a new generation of scholars showed the community that technology was never really the point — they were.

Over three weeks, students in the program moved beyond simply learning artificial intelligence tools. They used AI as a lens to examine real issues facing their own neighborhoods — from affordable housing and food insecurity to youth mental health, community violence, and drug use — and built AI-powered platforms and projects aimed at addressing them.

"It's inspiring to see these students draw on their own perspectives and lived experiences to create real change right here in Milwaukee," said Dr. Eve M. Hall, President/CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Urban League, of the inaugural AI Summer Boot Camp. "This is exactly what mentoring the next generation of leaders looks like — and it's how we build healthier, stronger communities."

Each student developed a capstone project pairing a community issue with an AI-driven solution:

GMUL AI Summer Camp Capstone Presentation

• Lauren Smith — Housing Navigator, a housing resource platform addressing affordable housing.
• Jayden Perkins — Safer Streets, a community violence prevention platform addressing street violence.
• Karter Hawkins — Beyond the Corner, an employment and entrepreneurship platform addressing drug dealing.
• Bryanna Watkins — Education Forward, an academic support resource platform addressing educational equity.
• Lavina Kennedy-Harper — Clear Choices, a youth vaping awareness platform addressing teen vaping.
• Jaevin Cooper-Parker — Focus Forward, a student productivity and focus tool addressing focus and attention.
• Na'Zari Grashen — Food Connect, a community food resource platform addressing food waste and food insecurity.
• Maurice Visor — Breaking the Cycle, a youth mentoring and violence prevention platform addressing community violence.
• Delaina Wetdle — MindStrong, a mental wellness and support platform addressing youth mental health.
• Jayde Cottrell — Mind Matters, a youth-centered awareness campaign addressing mental health.
• Isereal Brown — Choose Better, a youth prevention and recovery resource addressing drug use.

The afternoon included opening remarks from Dr. Hall, a program overview from Brandon Jackson, Founder/CEO of Unorthodox Solutions and the program's creator and lead facilitator, and a certificate ceremony recognizing every AI Bootcamp scholar. Guests visited student booths to connect directly with the young innovators before hearing remarks from community leaders, corporate partners, and elected officials.

As part of the program's completion, each student received a laptop computer to continue building on the skills and projects they developed over the summer.

"The true lesson was learning to ask better questions, solve meaningful problems, communicate with purpose, and build something that serves others," Jackson said of the program's mission. "They represent the beginning of a generation of leaders who understand that innovation is most powerful when it is used in service of community."

This inaugural cohort is just the beginning — two more AI Summer Camp cohorts are set to run later this summer, continuing the Urban League's push to equip Milwaukee youth with both technical skills and a community-first mindset.

The AI Summer Camp was made possible through program partners Unorthodox Solutions, Nouvelle Marketing, and i.c.stars, along with sponsors AT&T, Enterprise Mobility, Rockwell Automation, and Wisconsin Economic Development.

Technology wasn't the lesson. They were.