An artificial intelligence startup founded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick will officially partner with Prince George’s County Public Schools to support student literacy.
The partnership, announced Tuesday at Largo High School, will give students access to Lumi Story AI’s software for creating graphic novels. Through its AI features, students can get help with writing dialogues, organizing their stories and creating illustrations.
The partnership with PGCPS is the latest in a series of deals between Lumi and school districts across the country. The district is “leading the way” as an innovator in education, Kaepernick said at the event. Their work, he added, will lead to similar partnerships across the country and internationally.
“This is only the beginning, and very excited for what we’re able to accomplish together,” Kaepernick said.
County Executive Aisha Braveboy, who worked with Kaepernick to bring this partnership to the county, said learning how to read is the foundation for success.
“If you can read and comprehend, you can do any and everything,” Braveboy said. “Unfortunately, for many of our children who are not reading at grade level, or who struggle to understand what they’re reading, they are not reaching their fullest potential.”
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The partnership comes as fourth grade reading proficiency scores dropped by about 20 points across Maryland from 2013 to 2022, according to nonprofit advocacy group Maryland READS.
In 2024, 66 percent of fourth grade students in Maryland were not proficient in reading, with the gap particularly wide for Black students and economically disadvantaged students, a report by the National Assessment of Educational Progress found.
The county hopes Lumi will help close this gap by inviting students, particularly those who don’t see themselves frequently represented in traditional media, to tell stories that reflect their lived experiences.
Interim PGCPS superintendent Shawn Joseph said Lumi allows students to “author their own narratives” by designing characters, scenes, dialogue and stories that reflect their lived experiences. Ten Prince George’s County schools already have access to Lumi, he said.
“The digital divide no longer is about access to devices. It’s about access to emerging skills. It’s about ensuring students move from being consumers, to content creators, to innovators and to developers,” Joseph said. “We’re building a future where our children can author their own stories, not someday, but today.”
