Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and OpenAI Partner to Advance AI Literacy for Staff, Parents, and Youth.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Washington, D.C. — October 19, 2026 — Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) announced an in-kind partnership with OpenAI to advance the organization’s strategic approach to artificial intelligence (AI), strengthen staff AI literacy and proficiency, and create new opportunities for Club members and families to prepare for an increasingly AI-driven world.

The partnership represents a significant investment in technology and innovation as BGCGW works to develop a responsible, organization-wide approach to AI. The BGCGW staff training will provide employees with foundational knowledge and practical skills to understand and responsibly incorporate AI into their work with the goal of streamlining administrative tasks so they can spend more time supporting the young people we serve.
“AI is transforming the way we learn, work, communicate, and solve problems,” said Eddie Koen, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. “We have a responsibility to ensure that our staff and young people are prepared to navigate this changing world. Our partnership with OpenAI will help us build the knowledge and confidence to use it responsibly while keeping people and relationships at the center of our work.”

Investing in Staff to Create More Time for Youth

A central focus of the partnership is increasing AI literacy and proficiency among BGCGW staff.
Through training and practical application, staff will explore how AI can help reduce administrative burdens, improve efficiency, and support the work they already do. Potential applications include:

● Developing activities and lesson plans
● Refining reports, proposals, and grant-writing development
● Summarizing research and data
● Generating flyers
● Supporting communications with video editing, blogs writing, and social media content generation

The objective is not to replace the human work that makes Boys & Girls Clubs effective. Instead, BGCGW will explore how responsible use of AI can give staff back valuable time to spend where it matters most: with young people.
Building an AI-Literate Generation
BGCGW believes young people need more than access to technology. They need the ability to understand how AI works, think critically about AI-generated information, recognize its limitations, and make ethical and responsible decisions about how they use it.

The partnership will also help BGCGW develop a pathway for introducing AI literacy to young people and their families.
BGCGW plans to explore opportunities to provide AI education and training for Club members, parents, and families, creating a pipeline of AI literacy across the communities it serves.

The organization’s approach will emphasize:
● Responsible and ethical use of AI
● Critical thinking and digital literacy
● Privacy and understanding one's digital footprint
● Appropriate and age-conscious use of AI tools
● Understanding the opportunities and limitations of AI
● Preparing young people for an evolving workforce
● Helping families have informed conversations about AI

Developing a Responsible AI Framework

“We’re proud to work with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to help its staff use AI tools in practical ways to better serve communities. By building practical skills and confidence across the organization, this partnership can also lay the groundwork for young people and families to use AI effectively and responsibly." Said, Mattie Zazueta, Head of OpenAI Academy

By bringing AI learning into trusted community organizations, these efforts can help expand access to opportunity and ensure more people are prepared to participate in—and help shape—the future of work.

This work builds on BGCGW’s broader commitment to technology, transformation, and innovation, including the organization’s Dr. Sachiko Kuno Center of Transformation, which serves as a space for innovation, creative thinking, engagement, and advocacy.
“We want to be thoughtful about this,” Koen said. “Being innovative does not mean moving fast without direction. It means understanding the technology, establishing the right guardrails, training our people, and making sure every step we take ultimately benefits the young people and families we serve.”
Preparing Young People for What Comes Next

By building staff capacity first and then expanding AI literacy opportunities for youth and families, BGCGW aims to help create a community of informed, confident, and responsible technology users and creators. The organization will begin with staff training this week and continue evaluating opportunities to integrate AI into operations, programming, communications, and youth development.

“Every generation faces a changing world,” Koen said. “Our job is to make sure our young people have the tools, confidence, and support to meet that world. AI will be part of their future. We want to make sure they are ready not just to participate in that future, but to help shape it.”

Robert Anderson
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER WASHINGTON
+1 240-729-7597
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EPK for BGCGW Training at OpenAI Headquarters in Washington, DC