11-Year-Old Texas AI Advocate Attends State of the Union as Melania Trump's Guest

Everest Nevraumont, a student at an AI-powered school, pushes for technology to revolutionize American classrooms.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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First lady Melania Trump brought 11-year-old Texas AI advocate Everest Nevraumont to the State of the Union address, spotlighting the use of artificial intelligence in education. Nevraumont attends Alpha School in Austin, which incorporates AI into its curriculum, allowing students to learn more in less time. The first lady praised Nevraumont and another student, Sierra Burns, for embodying her mission to expand opportunities for the next generation through "education and technology".

Why it matters

Melania Trump's invitation of Everest Nevraumont highlights the growing interest in using AI to transform the way students learn in American classrooms. As schools and policymakers explore new technologies, Nevraumont's experience at the AI-powered Alpha School provides a real-world example of how AI can accelerate learning and open up new possibilities for students.

The details

Everest Nevraumont, an 11-year-old student at Alpha School in Austin, Texas, was invited by First Lady Melania Trump to attend the 2026 State of the Union address. Alpha School incorporates artificial intelligence into its curriculum, allowing students like Nevraumont to learn at a faster pace. Nevraumont said that thanks to AI, she has been able to "accelerate way faster than the average kid," often learning at twice the traditional pace. Mackenzie Price, co-founder of Alpha School, said their teaching model has helped students learn more in less time, opening the door for them to develop other skills. The first lady praised both Nevraumont and another student, Sierra Burns, for embodying her mission to expand opportunities for the next generation through "education and technology".

  • Everest Nevraumont attended the 2026 State of the Union address on February 25, 2026.

The players

Melania Trump

The First Lady of the United States, who invited Everest Nevraumont and Sierra Burns to attend the 2026 State of the Union address as part of her "BE BEST Fostering the Future" initiative.

Everest Nevraumont

An 11-year-old student at Alpha School in Austin, Texas, who advocates for the use of artificial intelligence in education and was invited by the First Lady to attend the 2026 State of the Union address.

Sierra Burns

A participant in the Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Program, who also attended the 2026 State of the Union address with the First Lady.

Mackenzie Price

The co-founder of Alpha School, which incorporates artificial intelligence into its curriculum, allowing students to learn more in less time.

Alpha School

A school in Austin, Texas that uses artificial intelligence in its curriculum to help students learn more efficiently.

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What they’re saying

“It was just really amazing to be able to attend and advocate for education with AI for all Americans.”

— Everest Nevraumont (America's Newsroom)

“What we're finding is in only two hours of work a day, our kids are learning twice as much as kids in a traditional school.”

— Mackenzie Price, Co-founder of Alpha School (Planet Tyrus podcast)

“You shouldn't cheat with AI. You should use AI to help you learn and get better at whatever you're trying to do and not just have it tell you the answer, because I think it's a really valuable thing.”

— Everest Nevraumont (America's Newsroom)

What’s next

The first lady's office highlighted Everest Nevraumont's achievements, including being a three-time Texas state champion in history and a member of a winning International History Bowl team, as well as delivering a TEDx talk about the use of AI in education. This suggests that Nevraumont will likely continue to be a vocal advocate for AI in the classroom and may make additional public appearances or give more talks on the topic.

The takeaway

Melania Trump's invitation of Everest Nevraumont to the State of the Union address underscores the growing interest in using artificial intelligence to transform education in America. Nevraumont's experience at the AI-powered Alpha School demonstrates how this technology can accelerate learning and open up new possibilities for students, challenging traditional approaches and sparking a conversation about the future of education.