‘Ayo’ is a Yoruba name meaning ‘great joy.’ In Mesquite ISD, new software sharing that name is bringing great joy to classrooms across the district.
“We want kids to enjoy learning,” says Mesquite Chief Technology Officer Cara Jackson, who helped develop the program. “We want them to know what they're passionate about.”
AYO is an “interest excavator” that takes input from the student, the parent, and the teacher to create a learner profile. It then uses the power of artificial intelligence to make recommendations of career pathways and volunteer opportunities to students based on “where their aptitude and passion collide.”
“AYO… helps reveal the unique qualities of the human being and puts them in a better position to access their learning and contextualize that to their passion,” says former Mesquite Superintendent David Vroonland. “I honestly believe that's the future of education and I'm excited that Mesquite's leading in that.”