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2026 KACTE Summer Program
Audience: Computer Science clear filter
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Wednesday, July 22
 

8:00am EDT

Beyond the Buzz: Implementing AI with Purpose Across a District
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
As AI reshapes every career sector, districts must move beyond isolated tools and toward a coherent, sustainable AI strategy. This session explores how Advance KY, in partnership with a local school district, designed a scalable, equitable, and standards-aligned plan for implementing AI across CTE programs focused on curriculum, teacher readiness, ethics, and long-term sustainability.
Speakers
avatar for Monique Rice

Monique Rice

502-507-5210, Advance KY
Program Director at Advance KY
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Walnut - West - 3rd Floor

8:00am EDT

Starting Strong: Foundations for Year One Computer Science and Media Arts Teachers
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:50am EDT
Designed specifically for year one Computer Science and Media Arts educators, this session provides a supportive on-ramp into the classroom for teachers new to the pathway, the content, or both. Participants will explore the foundational expectations, instructional mindset, and practical classroom strategies needed to launch a successful first year.
Speakers
TB

Tabitha Berger

859-609-5116, KDE
Computer Science and Media Arts
JP

Jermaine Poynter

2704549276, Kentucky SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA State Director
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:50am EDT
Poplar - West - 3rd Floor

8:00am EDT

Learning Through Experience: Expansive Learning Through VR
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 11:00am EDT
Presentation will cover basic tools and concepts for designing and developing virtual reality applications for the Meta Quest 3 headset. We will also touch on the research and data behind the tools, and ways to integrate these tools and applications into the classroom and workplace training environments.
Speakers
avatar for David Bosquez

David Bosquez

6067296345, Somerset Community College
Virtual Reality Project Manager
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 11:00am EDT
Holly - West - 3rd Floor

8:00am EDT

Get Certified in the Industry Certification Lab!
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Take free industry certification exams from CompTIA/TestOut, Pearson/Certiport, and MBA Research ASK Institute. Get certified to better prepare your students.
Speakers
avatar for Angela Rush

Angela Rush

2705906290, KDE/OCTE
Program Consultant
JD

Jeremy Davis

2705908040, KY DECA
 
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Coe - East - 3rd Floor

10:00am EDT

Where AI Meets Cyber: Teaching the Future of Digital Defense
Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am EDT
This session explores how AI is reshaping cyber threats and defenses and shows educators how to use AI-focused resources within the CYBER.ORG curriculum to strengthen students’ cybersecurity knowledge and workforce skills. Attendees will examine practical, responsible strategies for integrating AI into instruction—preserving hands-on learning and minimizing passive screen time—through guided reviews of age-appropriate, ethical, and career-aligned lessons and activities. The session offers ready-to-use classroom activities, implementation models for different grade bands, and approaches to make AI accessible and engaging from basic digital literacy to advanced cybersecurity, leaving educators with actionable next steps, direct CYBER.ORG resource links, and greater confidence in preparing students for an AI-enabled cybersecurity workforce.
Speakers
avatar for Jeff Ramsey

Jeff Ramsey

318-841-9612, CYBER.ORG
Advanced Cybersecurity Advisor
avatar for John Holloway

John Holloway

318-841-9612, CYBER.ORG
Cybersecurity Advisor
Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am EDT
Walnut - West - 3rd Floor

1:00pm EDT

Building Career Pathways with CYBER.ORG's No Cost Cybersecurity Curriculum
Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Equip your students with the skills and knowledge needed for success in the cybersecurity field using CYBER.ORG's no-cost Career and Technical Education resources. Designed for all skill levels, from beginners to more experienced learners, these engaging, hands-on courses are aligned with CompTIA certification objectives, preparing students for industry-recognized credentials such as Security+, Network+, and Tech+. In this session, we'll explore how CYBER.ORG's curriculum can strengthen your cybersecurity program, empower the next generation of cyber professionals, and support students' paths to certifications that open doors to rewarding career opportunities. Participants will step into the roles of both attackers and defenders using the CYBER.ORG Range to experience a realistic cybersecurity scenario.
Speakers
avatar for Jeff Ramsey

Jeff Ramsey

318-841-9612, CYBER.ORG
Advanced Cybersecurity Advisor
avatar for John Holloway

John Holloway

318-841-9612, CYBER.ORG
Cybersecurity Advisor
Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Poplar - West - 3rd Floor

1:00pm EDT

Building Models with Machine Learning
Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Participants will build a linear regression ML learning model (will need a laptop)
Speakers
avatar for William Conn

William Conn

6065214273, WeLeadCS
Cyber Security Instructor WeLeadCS, Doctoral Student @ Marymount University in Cyber Security emphasis in Machine Learning.
Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Walnut - West - 3rd Floor

3:00pm EDT

SkillsUSA Regional Meetings
Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Regional Coordinators - required to attend. Every SkillsUSA advisor is invited to attend and meet their regional coordinator. As a state team, we will plan and organize regional competitions for the 2026-2027 school year. Attendees will gain more insight into SkillsUSA Championships and be given the opportunity to network with others in their field.
Speakers
AH

Amy Hancock

2709635124, Livingston Central High School
Teacher
Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Cochran - West - 3rd Floor

3:00pm EDT

Changing Students Lives with Certiport Industry Certifications
Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Want to find new and exciting ways to help change students' lives to set them up for future success? Come join Logan Staab, your Certiport Specialist, and we will discuss how Certiport certifications can help students who are ready to continue their education past high school or who are just ready to jump into the workforce! Discussion will also include turning your classroom into a Certiport Test Center, ensuring student success on certification day, how to use the reporting available, and how to keep your students engaged and excited about your program.
Speakers
LS

Logan Staab

7852598674, Certiport
Specialist, Partnership Management, Certiport
Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Poplar - West - 3rd Floor

3:00pm EDT

Preparing for Kentucky’s AI Pathway: Curriculum Resources and Practical AI Tools
Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
This session is designed to support Kentucky educators as they prepare for the upcoming Artificial Intelligence (AI) pathway rollout in 2027–2028. As a member of the AI standards writing committee and the first teacher to pilot the AI pathway, the presenter will share insights into how pathway standards are being translated into instructional planning, curriculum selection, partnerships, certification alignment, and classroom-ready resources. Participants will explore curriculum materials aligned to Kentucky's AI pathway standards and learn about practical AI tools that can be responsibly integrated to support teaching, learning, and student engagement regardless of prior AI experience.
Speakers
avatar for Drew Fulkerson

Drew Fulkerson

2709295910, IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation
Artificial Intelligence Instructor
Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Holly - West - 3rd Floor

4:00pm EDT

Computer Science by Abstraction - A Proven Approach to Advanced CS Education
Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Learn to develop and practice hands-on computer science projects that effectively teach problem-solving through abstraction. This session introduces foundational concepts developed by John DeNero and UC Berkeley faculty for their introductory CS course (CS61A), combined with practical strategies for classroom integration and validation from industry partners. Facilitated using Python, this workshop is designed for CS educators comfortable with or highly interested in function design and object-oriented implementation. Participants should bring a laptop equipped with a development environment (such as VSCode), though paper algorithms are also welcome.
Speakers
QT

Quincy Tennyson

5024751409, Fern Creek High School
Computer Science Teacher
Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Holly - West - 3rd Floor

4:00pm EDT

Implementing OpenEDG Industry-Recognized Certifications in CTE Pathways
Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
This session introduces Open Education and Development Group (OpenEDG) and its portfolio of industry-recognized certifications in programming, web development, and emerging technologies. Participants will explore how OpenEDG certifications can be embedded into CTE pathways to provide students with meaningful credentials aligned to workforce needs while supporting district and school funding opportunities. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of OpenEDG's certification pathways (entry-level through associate/professional), available FREE curriculum and learning resources, and the exam delivery and proctoring process. Participants will leave with actionable guidance on how to begin implementing OpenEDG certifications within their programs.
Speakers
avatar for OpenEDG

OpenEDG

Strategic Growth and Ops Director, Open Education and Development Group LLC
Contact: Roobed Trejo, [email protected]
Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Poplar - West - 3rd Floor

4:00pm EDT

3D Fundamentals Certification: A New Pathway for Student Creators with Unreal Engine and Gameplan
Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
The Epic Games Education team is proud to introduce the new 3D Fundamentals Certification, powered by Gameplana new credential for aspiring creators in interactive 3D. This industry-informed program is designed for students interested in Game Design, Animation, and 3D Game Art, providing a strong foundation for those exploring careers, postsecondary programs, or personal creative projects. Whether students are building their own games or preparing for future study and work in interactive media, the certification equips them with essential skills aligned to real-world applications. The program is accessible through Gameplans intuitive digital platform, which combines engaging content with flexible delivery to support diverse learning environments. In this session, we'll explore how the certification works, from curriculum and assessment structure to classroom integration. Attendees will gain insights into the educator supports available, including lesson planning tools, pacing guides, and progress tracking. We'll also highlight how this credential can help districts unlock CTE funding by aligning to recognized pathways in Game Design, Animation, and Digital Media.
Speakers
avatar for Steve Isaacs

Steve Isaacs

2152555002, Epic Games
I'm the Director of Secondary Education at Epic Games. In this role, my mission is to support organizations and educators in adopting Epic tools in the secondary classroom to prepare students for careers in emerging technology. Prior to Epic, I was a public school teacher for 28 years... Read More →
Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Walnut - West - 3rd Floor
 
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2026 KACTE Summer Program
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