Chapter 23 - THE JUNIOR INNOVATION STAGEAn hour later, it was the girls' turn.
The junior innovation showcase was held in a smaller, sunlit amphitheater filled with international educators, tech ethicists, and proud parents.
Betty and Mia stood side by side behind a high demonstration table equipped with dual monitors and a sleek projector display. Betty wore a crisp navy blazer over a yellow shirt, looking every bit the lead project manager, while Mia wore her favorite paint-splattered sneakers, tapping rhythmically on the edge of the keyboard with an eager grin.
"Good morning, everyone," Betty began, her voice clear, confident, and entirely devoid of stage fright—a trait she had undoubtedly inherited from her father's executive composure. "My name is Betty Harden. And this is my twin sister, Mia."
"And today," Mia chimed in smoothly, taking over the microphone, "we’re going to show you how a twelve-year-old with a basic understanding of Python and an overprotective dad can build a better internet for kids."
A wave of warm laughter rippled through the audience.
Up in the front row, sitting between Daniel and me, Elena Vance grinned ear-to-ear, recording the presentation on her phone.
For the next twenty minutes, the twins delivered a masterclass in AI ethics and juvenile digital safety. They demonstrated their phishing-detection algorithm in real-time, explaining complex neural network concepts with a clarity and charm that left seasoned software engineers shaking their heads in disbelief.
When they finished, the applause was instantaneous and roaring.
Several international delegates immediately crowded around the stage after the presentation, handing business cards to Betty and asking technical questions about their open-source repository.
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Daniel leaned over to me, whispering in my ear with a proud, crooked smile, "I think we’re going to have to set up a college fund a lot sooner than we planned."
"Or start interviewing venture capitalists," I laughed, shaking my head in sheer amazement.
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