At this St. Louis preschool, AI starts before kindergarten

Preschoolers at Dream STEAM Academy won’t just be learning their ABCs this year. They’ll also be creating digital avatars, recording sound bites and exploring artificial intelligence.

The academy unveiled its new innovation lab and media room during last week’s preschool graduation ceremony, expanding a curriculum designed to introduce children from infancy through age 5 to STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and math — and multimedia experiences.

Founder LaToya Blair said the goal is to help young children build confidence, communication skills and AI literacy through age-appropriate, hands-on learning.

“This technology isn’t going anywhere,” said LaToya Blair, founder of the academy for the youngest learners. “In this space, they’ll create avatars, record sound bites, and showcase what they know. It’s all about teaching them to be creative, communicate effectively and use their voice at an early age.”

Blair, a former math and science teacher, said the high-tech curriculum is age appropriate and designed to support, rather than replace, traditional developmental milestones.

“Everything they do in this space with electronics is going to be educational to get them ready for their next step in life,” said preschool teacher Marilyn Washington. “It’s a great thing because, in the future, technology is what it’s all going to be. We are introducing it early, but we are teaching them to use it as a tool.”

The academy’s expanded center comes as members of Generation Alpha — generally defined as children born beginning around 2013 — are raised completely immersed in touchscreen technology, artificial intelligence and social media.

According to research by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 40% of children have a tablet by age 2, 58% have one by age 4, and nearly one in four kids own a cellphone by age 8.

Despite their interest in digital devices, Black students across Missouri continue to face significant disparities in STEM education. About 14% of Black students score at or above proficiency in mathematics on state MAP tests, compared with 45% of White students, according to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). 

By sixth grade, White students in St. Louis public and charter schools are nearly three times as likely as Black students to demonstrate proficiency in math, and White students are enrolled in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate STEM courses at roughly twice the rate of Black students, according to data from St. Louis Public Schools and DESE.

By introducing structured STEAM activities for children under age 5, the center aims to shift early technology use from screen time to interactive learning, Blair said. Instead of just watching influencers, the students will be learning the foundational communication and tech skills required to produce their own content, she said.

They will create their own original characters and animated, talking AI versions of themselves, helping them understand and embrace emerging technology, Blair said.

Parents also are offering praise. 

“It’s a wonderful place to start,” said Shayla Arnold, whose triplets have attended the academy for two years. “I especially love the engineering focus because you don’t often hear about minority children getting to deal with that so early.”

Another parent, Sydney Lyles, whose daughter, Ivy, has attended the academy since age 2, said the academy bridges the gap between natural curiosity and future readiness. 

“Kids already have a certain grasp on technology, but learning these concepts at this age will ensure they are truly prepared as the world advances,” Lyles said. “If they aren’t exposed to it now, they’ll struggle to catch up later. But by starting early, their potential will only progress further and further.”

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