On February 13, 2026, under the Institute’s Innovation Cell (IIC) and with the support of the Department of Information Science and Engineering (ISE) and the Department of Computer Science and Design (CSD), an outreach program was organized for school students of class 8th at a St. Joseph English Medium school in Adyar Padav. The activity was conducted by 5 students from the ISE Department and 5 from the CSD Department. The primary objective of the program was to raise awareness of innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies among young learners and to inspire them to think creatively about solving real-life problems.

The program aimed to introduce students to the basic concepts of Artificial Intelligence and design thinking in a simple and engaging manner. It encouraged them to observe their surroundings, identify everyday challenges, and propose innovative solutions. Another important goal was to collect creative ideas from school students and provide mentorship support through college students, thereby strengthening the institution’s social outreach and innovation ecosystem.

The session began with an introduction to Srinivas Institute of Technology and the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), helping students understand the role of innovation in education and future careers. This was followed by an awareness talk on Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, where students were introduced to entrepreneurship and shown examples of how AI is used in daily life.

As part of the Idea Thinking Activity, students were asked to identify one real-life problem from areas such as their school environment, home or village, road safety, or environmental cleanliness. They were then encouraged to write a possible solution to the problem, promoting creativity and problem-solving skills.

Following the activity, ideas were collected through forms and carefully reviewed. The top five ideas were shortlisted based on creativity, practicality, and relevance. The selected students received special recognition for their innovative thinking, motivating others to participate actively.

The program also included a mentorship invitation and interaction session, where students were encouraged to continue developing their ideas with guidance from college mentors. The event concluded with a closing session and feedback, allowing students to share their learning experiences and enthusiasm for innovation.

The outreach activity proved to be an enriching experience for both the school students and the organizers. It successfully created awareness about innovation and emerging technologies while nurturing curiosity and creating confidence among young minds. Such initiatives play a vital role in encouraging students to become future innovators and responsible problem-solvers.

The program was conducted under the guidance and support of Dr. Shrinivasa Mayya D, Principal, and Dr. Praveen Shenoy, IIC Coordinator. The academic leadership of Prof. Sudarshan K, Head of the Department, ISE & CSD, contributed to the smooth execution of the activity. The event was successfully coordinated by Prof. K. Vaishnavi Rao and Prof. Archana D, CSD Staff Advisor, with support from Prof. Sowmya, ISE Staff Advisor. The activity was conducted by P Prajwal, Ishwarya, Shrinidhi Anchan, Poorvitha, Shishir from CSD Department and Bangera Ujwal, Varshini, Sanvi S Shetty, Krithi, Nishan from ISE Department. Overall, the activity effectively fostered innovation and entrepreneurship while highlighting the importance of creative thinking in addressing real-world challenges.

The success of this program inspires us to continue organizing similar activities in more schools, ensuring that a greater number of students are exposed to innovation-driven learning and are empowered to transform their ideas into meaningful solutions.