From Hackathon to Classroom: Seniors Bring AI Language Platform “Lingual” to Life

By Eduardo Polón

Big ideas rarely begin with grand plans. More often, they emerge from curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to explore the unknown. That spirit was on full display in Advanced Spanish: Contemporary Topics & Culture this week, as seniors Matthew Burd (‘26) and Minhyeok “Steve” Kim (‘26) introduced their developing Senior Passion Project, Lingual, a student-created AI language-learning platform, to a live classroom audience.
What began as a casual conversation about coding in a Multivariable Calculus class—and, as they jokingly note, the added incentive of free Chipotle at a local hackathon—quickly evolved into something far more ambitious. In just seven hours of focused creativity, Matthew and Steve developed the prototype for Lingual, an AI-powered conversational tool designed to help language learners practice real-time interpersonal speaking. Their efforts earned them “#1 Overall Winner” at the competition, but more importantly, sparked a deeper commitment to refining their idea into a meaningful educational resource.

Recognizing a familiar challenge in language acquisition—the gap between memorized vocabulary and authentic conversation—this dynamic duo, supported by two friends outside of SSFS, set out to create a platform that prioritizes natural, dynamic interaction. Lingual’s chatbot, “Lingu,” engages users in spoken exchanges that simulate real-life dialog, offering students a space to build confidence and fluency in ways that traditional programs often struggle to provide.

This week, our Advanced Spanish students had the unique opportunity to serve as beta testers for Lingual’s developing platform. Over the course of three days, students moved from initial exploration to more structured engagement, beginning with “Free Practice” conversations to get to know Lingu, and progressing to “Guided Practice” aligned with our current unit on Las riquezas naturales (Natural Resources). These interactions challenged students to apply vocabulary and communicative strategies in a spontaneous, conversational format—an essential component of language proficiency.

Perhaps most valuable was the opportunity for students to reflect on their experience and provide direct feedback to the creators. In doing so, they became not only learners, but collaborators in the iterative process of educational innovation.
Matthew and Steve’s work exemplifies the kind of interdisciplinary thinking and initiative that we strive to cultivate at Sandy Spring Friends School. By blending computer science, entrepreneurship, and language learning, they have created something that extends well beyond the classroom, while remaining deeply rooted in it.

What started as a simple conversation has grown into a promising tool with real potential. And for a few days in April, our classroom became part of that story.

Want to learn more? Join us for this year’s Sandy Spring Friends School Class of 2026 Senior Passion Projects Presentation Event on Wednesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom, where Matthew and Steve will showcase their work alongside their peers. You can also explore the full range of student projects by visiting the Class of 2026 Senior Passion Projects webpage.