Schools in Ashe County, North Carolina, will receive 1,500 artificial intelligence literacy training licenses and 100 robotics learning kits following a visit by first lady Melania Trump.
The licenses and Jetson Nano-powered kits were donated through BE BEST Fostering the Future, Nvidia and StudyFetch for students at Mountain View Elementary School and other schools in the district.
The White House did not provide the value of the donations, the length of the StudyFetch subscriptions or a distribution schedule. The tools are intended to let students explore AI, robotics and physical computing, according to the announcement.
Trump visited Mountain View nearly two years after Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction in western North Carolina. Her remarks linked the area's recovery with efforts to expand technology education for students.
Visit highlights teacher's national AI award
Carrie Robledo, a North Carolina second-grade teacher, joined the first lady at the school after being named a 2026 Presidential AI Challenge national champion. Robledo created “AI Insect Detectives,” a project that uses science and the natural world to introduce young children to artificial intelligence.
The White House said the inaugural Presidential AI Challenge involved more than 20,000 participants from all 50 states. The source did not describe the judging process, the number of national champions or the criteria used to select Robledo's project.
Trump encouraged students to use the new equipment to develop technical skills and build original projects. She said the tools were meant to support curiosity as the students began a new school year.
Mountain View's students will receive some of the 100 developer kits, with the remainder going to other schools in the district. The White House did not specify how many kits will stay at Mountain View or identify the other participating schools.
School served as a relief center after Helene
Hurricane Helene brought record rainfall to North Carolina, damaged or destroyed hundreds of roads and bridges and left more than 1 million people without power, according to the first lady's prepared remarks. She said 108 people died in the state.
Mountain View Elementary was turned into a distribution center after flooding disrupted classes and daily life across the county. The school provided food, water, supplies and counseling as families dealt with damaged roads and lost services.
Trump singled out Assistant Principal Cynthia Harless for remaining at the school for four weeks after floodwaters washed out roads and prevented her family from returning home. Harless helped operate the distribution center and supply families, the White House said.
The first lady's earlier visit to the region focused on storm damage, survivors and first responders. The latest trip emphasized the community's recovery and the new school technology, though the announcement did not provide an updated accounting of unfinished rebuilding work.
The AI licenses and robotics kits are educational donations rather than federal recovery aid. The source did not say whether the district must pay future subscription, maintenance or replacement costs after the initial program ends.
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