AI is already part of your child’s world. It shows up in search results, video recommendations, autocorrect, photo filters, and the apps they use without thinking twice. The bigger question isn’t whether kids will use AI. It’s whether they’ll know how to think while using it.

At Ascent Academies of Utah, the goal is not to turn every student into a computer scientist by ninth grade. The goal is simpler (and honestly more important): help students become confident learners who can ask good questions, spot weak information, create original work, and solve real problems, skills that matter in any future career.

Ascent is an award-winning, tuition-free public charter school with five Utah campuses: Farmington, West Valley, West Jordan, Lehi, and Saratoga Springs. And the way students learn here is built around discovering strengths, not forcing everyone into the same mold.

A big part of that approach comes from two key ideas:

1. students learn best when learning connects to their interests and talents, and

2. real-world skills grow when students get choices, practice, and support.

That’s where the Schoolwide Enrichment Model and Ascent’s learning profile process fit in.

What Utah Students Need to Know About AI (in K–9 Terms)

If you had to explain AI to a child in one sentence, you might say: AI is a tool that learns patterns from lots of examples. It can help you brainstorm, summarize, organize, and create—but it can also get things wrong.

Here’s the K–9 version of what students really need

• AI can be helpful, but it’s not “always right.” Kids should learn to double-check answers, especially facts, names, and numbers.

• AI should support thinking, not replace it. If a student can’t explain what they turned in, that’s a red flag.

• The best skill isn’t typing prompts—it’s asking good questions. The students who do well long-term are the ones who know how to clarify, compare, and improve ideas.

At Ascent, students are taught in a model that encourages curiosity and problem-solving. The Schoolwide Enrichment Model includes project-based activities designed to build critical and creative problem-solving skills, which is exactly the mindset kids need as AI becomes more common.

How Ascent Uses Technology and Enrichment to Build Digital Literacy

Digital literacy isn’t just “using a device.” It’s knowing how to communicate clearly, organize ideas, work with information, and create something meaningful.

At Ascent, students begin with a Learning Profile that helps identify learning style, expression preferences, and areas of interest. Teachers and students can use those profiles to guide enrichment clusters and SEM projects.

That matters because technology isn’t one-size-fits-all. One student might show understanding best through a written explanation. Another might shine when creating a visual project or presenting to the class. Ascent’s model explicitly supports different ways for students to show what they know—examples listed include presentations and PowerPoint-style projects.

Then there’s enrichment.

Ascent runs Enrichment Clusters each week (90 minutes, 45 minutes for kindergarten). Students choose topics based on strengths and interests, and the program encourages love of learning, talent development, and confidence for core classes.

That’s one of the most practical “future-ready” setups you can give a child: guided choice + meaningful work + communication skills.

And for students who lean creative, Ascent also highlights extracurricular options like Digital Graphic Arts, along with other arts opportunities—available across campuses. That kind of experience builds comfort with digital tools, design thinking, and the ability to create—not just consume.

Teaching Responsible, Safe AI Use to Middle Schoolers in Utah

Middle school is where tech habits get real. This is often when students start using shortcuts, experimenting with new tools, and feeling social pressure around what’s “cool” or “easy.” That’s why responsible AI use needs structure and clear expectations.

A few simple principles make a big difference:

• Be honest about your work. AI can help you study or brainstorm, but turning in AI-written work as your own hurts learning.

• Protect personal information. Kids should never share private details (addresses, passwords, personal family info) in tools they don’t understand.

• Check before you trust. Students should learn to verify facts, especially when something sounds too confident or too perfect.

• Use AI to improve your thinking. Ask for feedback, alternative ideas, or ways to study—then do the real work yourself.

Just as important: students need a school environment where they feel safe asking for help, reporting issues, and owning mistakes.

Ascent’s Safe School Culture includes locked exterior doors during school hours, visitor ID checks, and volunteer fingerprinting/background checks. The same “we take safety seriously” mindset can support digital safety too—clear expectations, caring adults, and consistent follow-through.

Real-World Skills: Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Problem-Solving at Our Five Campuses

AI will change how work gets done. But the skills that matter most will still be human skills.

That’s why Ascent’s day-to-day focus on enrichment, choice, and real learning habits is such a strong match for the future:

• Critical thinking: Students learn to question, compare, and explain—not just pick an answer.

• Creativity: Students get room to build, design, perform, and present—skills that don’t come from worksheets.

• Problem-solving: The SEM approach includes project-based learning experiences designed to strengthen critical and creative problem-solving skills.

• Communication: Students practice sharing ideas through different formats, including presentations.

And this isn’t limited to one location. Ascent serves families across five campuses—Farmington, West Valley, West Jordan, Lehi, and Saratoga Springs—with the same core approach to helping students find and develop their gifts and talents.

What This Means for Families

Your child doesn’t need to “master AI” in elementary school. They need a school that builds strong thinking, strong character, and strong learning habits—so they’re ready for whatever comes next.

If you want to see how Ascent Academies of Utah helps students grow through personalized learning and enrichment across all five campuses, reach out and schedule a tour or ask an enrollment question at 385-483-3353.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1) Does Ascent teach students about technology and digital skills?

Ascent builds digital literacy through personalized learning and multiple ways for students to show understanding (including presentations), plus enrichment opportunities like weekly Enrichment Clusters and activities such as Digital Graphic Arts.

2) How does the Schoolwide Enrichment Model connect to future readiness?

Ascent uses SEM to provide enrichment and project-based activities that strengthen critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving—skills students need in an AI-powered world.

3) What campuses does Ascent Academies of Utah have?

Ascent has five Utah campuses: Farmington, West Valley, West Jordan, Lehi, and Saratoga Springs.