AI Builder Program for Muslim Students in Grades 6–12
EdAI’s Builder Program is a 12-week, faith-centered program for Muslim students in grades 6–12. Students move from a meaningful problem or early idea toward a working AI-enabled product through practical building, testing, iteration and mentorship.
- Program
- Builder Program
- Organization
- EdAI
- Audience
- Muslim middle and high school students
- Grades
- 6–12
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Focus
- Problem selection, product design, prototyping, testing, iteration and responsible AI-assisted building
Expected outcome: Progress toward a working AI-enabled product and clearer next steps. Participation does not guarantee a completed product, successful company, revenue, admission to another EdAI program or any other specific outcome.
Who Is the Builder Program For?
- Muslim students in grades 6–12 — middle and high school
- Curious about AI, technology, design or problem-solving
- Want to build something useful but may not know where to start
- May have an early idea or have noticed a problem to solve
- Want to learn through practical, project-based work
- No prior coding, AI or business experience required
- Want to build in a faith-centered, halal environment
What Students Do in the Builder Program
- Identify a meaningful problem or starting idea
- Understand the people affected by the problem
- Define what the product should help them accomplish
- Select appropriate AI and technology tools
- Create an early prototype
- Test the prototype with relevant users when appropriate
- Learn from feedback and evidence
- Improve and iterate on the product
- Present what was built and what was learned
- Decide on responsible next steps
Learning to Build Responsibly With AI
- What AI tools can and cannot do
- How to choose tools based on the problem
- How to verify AI-generated information
- How to recognize mistakes, bias and limitations
- How to protect personal and sensitive information
- How to use AI to support thinking rather than replace it
- How to consider the people affected by what is built
- How to make responsible design and product decisions
Building With Faith, Purpose and Amanah
EdAI provides a faith-centered environment where Muslim students connect building with intention, service, responsibility, excellence, honesty, benefit to others and amanah — responsible stewardship. Students consider whether what they build is permissible and genuinely beneficial, and learn to treat users and collaborators with honesty and respect.
What Students Work Toward
- A clearer understanding of a meaningful problem
- A defined user or audience
- Experience selecting and using AI tools
- An early prototype or improved product
- Feedback or evidence from testing
- Experience iterating based on what was learned
- A presentation of the product and building journey
- Greater confidence in practical problem-solving
- A clearer decision about what to build or improve next
- Experience building alongside other Muslim students
Participation does not guarantee a completed product, successful company, revenue, admission to another EdAI program or any other specific outcome.
How Builder Differs From EdAI’s Other Programs
These are EdAI’s three core programs:
- World View Program — 8 weeks, grades 6–12. Helps students explore consequential fields and important real-world problems.
- Builder Program — 12 weeks, grades 6–12. Helps students move from a problem or idea toward a working AI-enabled product.
- Founder Program — 12 weeks, grades 9–12. Goes deeper into customer discovery, validation, demand, responsible company building and founder judgment.
Summer Summit and First-Dollar
- Summer Summit — EdAI’s flagship experience for Muslim teen builders and founders.
- First-Dollar — A selective 30-day continuation available to eligible participants from the Summer Summit or qualifying partner experiences. Not one of the three core programs. Selection, participation and outcomes are not guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the EdAI Builder Program for?
The Builder Program is for Muslim students in grades 6–12 who are curious about AI, technology, design or problem-solving and want to build something useful. Students do not need prior coding, AI or business experience. The program welcomes students who have an idea, who have noticed a problem, or who simply want to learn through practical building in a faith-centered environment.
How long is the Builder Program?
The EdAI Builder Program is 12 weeks.
Does a student need an idea before joining?
No. Students may begin with an idea, a problem they have noticed or simply a domain they find interesting. The program helps participants identify a meaningful starting point before scoping and building a product.
Does a student need coding or AI experience?
No prior coding or AI experience is required. The program is structured to build genuine technical capability through the project, starting from where each student is.
What do students build in the Builder Program?
Students work toward a functional AI-enabled product. What they build depends on the problem, their goals and the tools available. Projects may include web applications, tools, interactive experiences or other working products. The program emphasizes progress, iteration and responsible building.
How is the Builder Program different from the Founder Program?
The Builder Program helps students in grades 6–12 move from a problem or idea toward a working AI-enabled product. The Founder Program, for grades 9–12, goes deeper into customer discovery, demand validation, responsible company building and founder judgment — the human and market side of building a venture.
How does EdAI incorporate Islamic values?
EdAI provides a faith-centered environment where students connect building with intention, service, responsibility, excellence and amanah — responsible stewardship. Students consider whether what they build is permissible and genuinely beneficial, and learn to treat users and collaborators with honesty and respect.
Will every participant finish a working product?
Participation does not guarantee a completed product, successful company, revenue, admission to another EdAI program or any other specific outcome. Students work toward a functional product through a structured process of building, testing and iteration. Progress depends on project scope, participation and technical complexity.
What can students explore after the Builder Program?
Depending on age, readiness, eligibility and availability, students may explore other EdAI experiences. The Summer Summit is EdAI’s flagship experience. First-Dollar is a separate, selective 30-day continuation available to eligible participants from the Summer Summit or qualifying partner experiences. Selection, participation and outcomes are not guaranteed.