Sabrina Sterling remembers the exact moment her 28-year education career felt threatened. As a Technology Instructional Specialist for Camden County Schools in southeast Georgia, she had built her reputation creating sophisticated data dashboards and predicting student performance on state assessments.
"I like to tell folks I predict the future," Sabrina explains, describing her work with Excel, Google Looker Studio, and analytics platforms.
But then she noticed AI rapidly advancing into her exact expertise—data analysis, visualization, and predictive modeling. For the first time in nearly three decades, Sabrina faced an uncomfortable reality: she might become obsolete.
"This was the first time that it hit me—I might be obsolete because AI is going to do a lot of the things that I have been taking pride in being able to do," she recalls. "And it scared me because as a Gen Xer, sometimes you worry that you're about to be pushed out to pasture."
When fear becomes fuel
Rather than retreat, Sabrina decided to master AI before it could master her role.
"It reminds me of how my grandmother felt when Jiffy Mix was invented," Sabrina explains. "She said, 'I make cornbread from cornmeal, and you've got these kids today putting in a little bit of water, a little bit of milk, stirring it up—and it's pretty good stuff.' I decided I needed to get a handle on the Jiffy mix, so to speak."
When an AI prompting course appeared on her Instagram feed, Sabrina—who never clicks on ads—felt compelled to learn more. The comprehensive curriculum covering prompt engineering, custom GPT creation, and data analysis aligned perfectly with her needs.
"The person I spoke to during registration could explain all of the modules, what they would contain, and what I would learn," she remembers. "It was as if he knew all of the questions I had as well as the ones I needed to ask."
The learning experience that changed everything
The AI Prompting course delivered far beyond Sabrina's expectations. What started as a defensive career move became an empowering transformation.
"It was one of the best decisions that I have made in a long time," Sabrina reflects. "It's given me new life as somebody who's been in education now for 28 years."
The hybrid format proved ideal, combining pre-class materials with live instruction from industry experts. What surprised Sabrina most was learning alongside business professionals—a cross-curricular experience that expanded her perspective on AI applications.
The transformation became evident when Sabrina started applying her new skills.
Within weeks, she had created multiple AI-powered tools for her district:
- CCRPI Navigator: Helping administrators understand Georgia's performance metrics and project student outcomes
- Lesson Plan Generator: Streamlining curriculum development for teachers
- Test Item Analyzer: Helping teachers align assessment questions with state standards
"One of the things that I have gained is how to create a succinct prompt," she explains. "Those tweaks—making sure it has a role, context, purpose—really opened up my eyes."
Sabrina's enthusiasm has become infectious throughout her district. She jokes about being perceived as "a cult leader—the cult of AI" among colleagues, but the impact is serious. She's now demonstrating tools to the assistant superintendent and has become the go-to person for AI implementation.
"It's given me a whole new sense of purpose—to be an advocate for its use and to help quell the fears people have about it," Sabrina explains. "Educators aren't early adopters because they're dealing with children's lives. But having been in this course, we don't have to fear it—it is a tool."
The bigger picture: education's AI future
Sabrina's story illustrates a crucial truth about AI in education: the technology isn't here to replace skilled educators—it's here to amplify their expertise and expand their impact.
"AI will be as good as the information that we put in it," she concludes. "We can design our own tools and use them as needed. It gives us freedom and agency over the content we pull together—and it can still be guided by our standards."
From fearing obsolescence to leading transformation, Sabrina’s journey proves that with the right guidance and mindset, even the most daunting technological shifts can become opportunities for growth, empowerment, and renewed purpose.
