Mission & program
What the club is for, and what happens at each session. 12 sessions.
Our mission
Inspire
show real-world examples of AI and its applications.
Collaborate
create an inclusive environment for teamwork and knowledge sharing.
Educate
provide a general understanding of AI and its potential.
Empower
encourage teens to harness AI tools for creativity and skill development.
About
What we do — the program
What AI actually is
Machine learning vs. rules, how a model is trained, why it gets things wrong. Live demos with the tools already on your phone. Homework: bring one question you want an AI to answer next week.
Prompting like a pro
Roles, examples, constraints, iteration. Everyone runs the same three prompts and compares: “Explain quantum entanglement like I’m 15”, “Read my chapter notes and make flashcards”, “Create a study schedule for 3 exams in 2 weeks”. Then improve them.
AI tools show-and-tell
Members bring one tool they use. Five-minute demos, then a vote on the most useful. We keep a shared list the club maintains all year.
Claude Code lab I — install and first conversation
What Node.js is (the engine), what a terminal is (your command center), then type `claude`. First prompts: “What files are in this folder?” and “Create a simple to-do list webpage for me.” You are not coding — you are directing. Bring a laptop; access is arranged with the moderator.
Claude Code lab II — directing, not coding
The permission model: how much freedom to give it and why. Write your first CLAUDE.md (the project instructions file) with `/init`, then the “Fix the Broken Config” challenge. Quick reference: /help /init /memory /compact /clear /cost /resume.
Claude Code lab III — build your first project
Pick one from the 50-project list — habit tracker with streaks, reading list manager, homework planner — describe it in plain English, and ship it in one session. Save the request and the result; that pair is your demo-day story.
Images, video and music
Generative media: what is possible, what it costs, and how to spot it. Make a poster for the club and a 15-second clip; discuss which one you would actually publish.
AI, ethics and safety
Bias, privacy, deepfakes, academic honesty. Where Mater Dei’s AI policy sits and how to use AI without cheating yourself. Case study: the model that confidently made something up in session 1.
Claude Code lab IV — study systems
Point it at your own notes folder: flashcards from a chapter, an essay checked for grammar and argument strength, five PDFs summarised, a bibliography in APA. Each member leaves with a working study system for their hardest class.
AI in careers
How AI is already used in medicine, finance, law, sports, media and government — and what that means for what you study next. Guest speaker if the moderator can arrange one.
Claude Code lab V — shortcuts and automatic actions
Save a favourite instruction as a skill (a reusable slash command), then a hook (something that runs automatically, like spell-checking on every save). Build a “morning briefing” skill for school.
Demo day
Teams present what they built across the semester. Invite the moderator, parents and other clubs. Best project gets featured on this page and on the Santa Ana city page.
Claude Code lab sessions adapted from ClaudeCodeMastery’s beginner course (Beginner to Builder), which is written for people who have never used a terminal.
When & where
Mostly virtual and meets on campus during the school year. Day, period and room are announced each semester through the Mater Dei club program.
Mater Dei High School, 1202 W Edinger Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92707