"AI Makes Me Smarter": A 7th Grader’s View on Learning with AI

What happens when you hand powerful AI tools to a curious 7th grader?
 You get insights that most adults overlook.
In this special episode of the Smarter Campus Podcast, host Zach Kinzler sits down with Dawson Brown, a 7th-grade student from Sacajawea Middle School in Bozeman, Montana. Dawson shares his unique perspective on AI in education—and trust us, he’s got a lot to teach us.
Topics covered:
  • ✅ Why Dawson prefers BoodleBox over other AI platforms (and what he thinks about Snapchat AI 👎)
  • 🎓 How he uses AI to get ahead in math class
  • 🧠 His bold claim: “AI has made me smarter”
  • 🤝 Why teachers aren’t talking about AI—and why they should
  • ⚖️ Dawson’s call for moderation and using AI as a learning tool, not a cheat code
This is the kind of conversation that will make you rethink how early AI literacy should start—and who should be leading it.
Whether you're an educator, a parent, or just someone interested in how the next generation is learning, this episode is a must-listen.
"AI Makes Me Smarter": A 7th Grader’s View on Learning with AI