On Friday, January 9, Saint Joseph School welcomed the parents of 25 student groups from 2S, 3S, IBDP1 and IBDP2, whose AI startup projects reached the final stage across five pathways: internship, e-commerce platform, mentorship and coaching, learn to pivot, and investment. The meeting aimed to review the journey completed so far and to outline the next steps that will support students as they continue developing their projects.
Msgr. Bou Habib, the school rector, opened the session by congratulating the students and reminding everyone of a core value that guides all innovation at SJS: using AI responsibly while never forgetting who we are. He emphasized that technology should serve humanity and that God remains at the heart of students’ lives and choices, even as they engage with advanced tools and future-oriented careers.
Mrs. Sabine Abou Sleiman, the AI teacher, then explained how the work was carried out throughout the AI module, showing how students progressed from an initial idea to defining a problem and solution, then building a clear mission and vision, developing branding and logos, creating websites, studying competitors, calculating return on investment, and ultimately shaping their projects into real AI startup companies. She also elaborated on the five categories into which the 25 companies were placed, highlighting the variety and strength of the finalists.
Next, Mr. Rabih Chehade, CEO of Slangit Technologies, presented a general overview of what will follow for each group, explaining how Slangit will work with the different categories and how the support will be tailored to the needs and readiness of each team.
Fr. Maroun Chamoun, the SS principal, then reflected on the educational journey, noting that students began by following the AI curriculum adopted at SJS and, through dedication and structured learning, ended up creating real AI startup companies. He stressed that such an achievement now requires continuous follow-up so students can acquire the advanced skills needed to grow further, while clarifying that this follow-up will take place as an extracurricular initiative. Fr. Chamoun also emphasized that parents are essential partners with the school, which is why they were invited to this meeting.
Mrs. Gisele Karaa, the IT Manager and AI coordinator, announced the launch of an AI Club in the Secondary School Division to ensure structured follow-up with every finalist group. She explained that the club will focus on identifying the specific skills each team still needs, whether technical, entrepreneurial, communication-based, or related to teamwork and presentation, in order to help students refine and finalize their companies in a guided and educational way.
Fr. Chamoun concluded the session by opening the floor for parents’ questions and discussion, reinforcing the spirit of collaboration between school and parents.
The meeting ended with a shared commitment to support students as they continue transforming their ideas into meaningful and responsible AI initiatives, guided by faith, purpose, and innovation.