UTEP AI Challenge Competition
The UTEP AI Challenge competition (sponsored by NSF-#2329579) aims to support participants in addressing the Presidential AI Challenge, which is a national challenge where K-12 youth, educators, and community teams come together to solve real-world problems in their communities using Al-powered solutions with an opportunity to showcase their solutions at a national level.
What are the prizes?
Elementary school teams ($300, $200, $100 for the first, second, and third place winners)
Middle school teams ($400, $300, $200 for the first, second, and third place winners)
High school teams ($500, $400, $300 for the first, second, and third place winners)
Educator teams ($1000, $800, $600 for the first, second, and third place winners)
Jan 7, 2026 (Wed)
Deadline for Project Submission
6:30-8:00pm, Jan 12, 2026 (Mon)
Award Ceremony
Join Zoom Meeting: https://utep-edu.zoom.us/j/84936157701
Email: aichallenge@utep.edu
Sign up for the UTEP AI Challenge Competition Here:
https://utep.questionpro.com/t/APRh0Z7cU5
The UTEP AI Challenge adopts the same project criteria and evaluation rubrics used in the Presidential AI Challenge. Detailed information can be found in the Presidential AI Challenge guidebook.
Presidential AI Challenge
Website: https://orise.orau.gov/ai-challenge/
Guidebook: Presidential AI Challenge Guidebook
Roadmap: America's AI Action Plan
UTEP AI Challenge Competition Winners
Educator Team - Track III(a) - Innovative AI Teaching Approach
First Place Winner
Project: Design & AI
Team: Kevin Sias & Seth Sias
School: Andress High School, El Paso ISD
Educator Team - Track III(b)
Creating, Modifying or Using AI Tool to Transform Education
First Place Winner
Project: AI-Powered Engineering Education at Franklin High School
Team: Michelle Buraczyk
School: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD
High School Team - Track I - In-depth Proposal
First Place Winner
Project: Predictive AI Emergency Dashboard for El Paso
Team: Dante Corral, Mateo De La Hoya, Julian Arroyo, Joshua Curl
School: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD
Supervising Adult: Michelle Buraczyk
Second Place Winner
Project: Using AI Technology to Improve Water Quality, Infrastructure Monitoring, and Health Outcomes in Tornillo, Texas
Team: Vadda Azul Abrego, Angel Garcia, Ricardo Morales, Alberto Tarango
School: Tornillo High School, Tornillo ISD
Supervising Adult: Sergio Morales
Third Place Winner
Project: Empowering Border Communities: A safety Initiative
Team: Johah Cuellar, Olivia Posey, Rainey Preece
School: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD
Supervising Adult: Michelle Buraczyk
High School Team - Track II - Technical Solution and Implementation
First Place Winner
Project: BorderFlow
Team: Emmanuel Ortega, Gabriel Villela, Mathew Isaacs
School: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD
Supervising Adult: Michelle Buraczyk
Second Place Winner
Project: Project Clear Air Reducing Air Pollution in El Paso
Team: Benjamin Houghtalen, Edmundo Salazar, Sebastian Rappa, Omar Jarquin
School: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD
Supervising Adult: Michelle Buraczyk
Third Place Winner
Project: The Mood Bacelet: Empowering Teen Mental Health
Team: Delaya Ikongho
School: Franklin High School, El Paso ISD
Supervising Adult: Michelle Buraczyk
UTEP AI Challenge Competition Participant Teams
Team 1. AI Climate Change Rebot (by Munetones, I.)
Team 2. BorderFlow (by Ortega, E., Villela, G., Isaacks, M.)
Team 3. AI-Powered Engineering Education at Franklin High School (by Buraczyk, M.)
Team 4. TelVolyare: A New Clean Horizon with AI (by Garcis, C., Guerra, L., Livingston, B., Gastelum, A.)
Team 5. Empowering Border Communities: A Safety Initiative (by Curllar, J., Posey, O., Preece, R.)
Team 6. Project Clear Air: Reducing Air Poluttion in El Paso (by Rappa, S., Houghtalen, B., Salazar, G., Jarquin, O.)
Team 7. Sun City Pedetrain Safety App (by Gonzalez, M., Sigler, K.)
Team 8. The Mood Bracelet: Empowering Teem Mental Health (by Ikongho, D.)
Team 9. Eyes in the Sky: AI-Driven Border Surveillance (by Adams, J., Maldonado, G., Lira, D., Church, J.)
Team 10. Design & AI (by Sias, K., Sias, S.)
Team 11. Predictive AI Emergency Dashboard for El Paso (by Corral, D., De La Hoya, M., Arroyo, J., Curl, J.)
Team 12. Using AI Technology to Improve Water Quality, Infrastructure Monitoring, and Health Outcomes in Tornillo (by Abrego, V., Garcia, A., Morales, R., Tarango, A.)
Team 13. Pathways: Reducing Errors, Increasing Access (by Redondo, M., Tseng, B., Preuser, O.)
Team 14. C.O.N.N.O.R (Civic Operations Network Natural Observation Response) (by Saldivar, A., Morales, R., Maass, M.)
Team 15. A.U.R.A. (Automatic Universal Revenue Assistant) (by Ortega, G., Niederleig, D.)
Team 16. AI-Powered Water Monitoring for El Paso (by James, N., Medellin, E., Preciado, M.)
Team 17. Spotted: Revolutionizing Local Discovery (by Pannell, E., Andrade, E.)
Team 18. AI Tap Water Reader (by Gillis, C., Mendizabal, O., Zapata, E., Ramirez, S.)
Team 19. AI Cameras for Safter Streets (by de Haro, D., Mendoza, R.)
Team 20. Smart Neighborhood Crime Alert System (by Ahmad, H.)
Team 21. DriveSense-Ai (byLopez, E., Nunez, L., Mercado, O.)
Team 22. Buzz: Your Smar Medication Companion (by Vidyarthi, S.)
Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation in funding this project, as well as the invaluable contributions of the following individuals who make this work possible.
Project Team
Dr. Pei-Ling Hsu
Dr. David Carrejo
Dr. Mez Perez
Dr. Xington (Gillian) Bausch
Ms. Shova Kuikel
Ms. Nikole Medrano
Competition Judges
Dr. Abbas Abbasov
Dr. Song An
Dr. Xington (Gillian) Bausch
Dr. David Carrejo
Dr. Yinuo Du
Dr. Ahmed El-Gendy
Dr. Pilar Gonzalez
Dr. Md Maruf Hossain Shuvo
Dr. Eunae Han
Dr. Chad Hoyer
Dr. Pei-Ling Hsu
Dr. Liru Hu
Mr. Emmanuel Ikeakor
Dr. Arshad Khan
Ms. Shova Kuikel
Dr. Alice Lee
Dr. Alex Mayer
Dr. Aritran Piplai
Dr. Saidur Rahman
Ms. Catherine Tabor
Dr. Daniel Tillman
Dr. Emre Umucu