Melania Trump to host AI advocate and foster-care alum as State of the Union guests
melania trump will host two young women in her guest box for the State of the Union on Tuesday, February 24, pairing a 10-year-old AI advocate from Austin with a 24-year-old foster-care alum as President Trump speaks at 8 p. m. The invitation spotlights her Fostering the Future and AI-focused work.
Melania Trump invites two stand-outs to Washington
The first lady’s guests will be Sierra Burns, 24, a beneficiary of the Foster Youth to Independence program and a public advocate who grew up in the foster system, and Everest Nevraumont, a 10-year-old fifth grader from Central Texas who attends the Alpha School in Austin, which offers a hybrid learning curriculum that includes AI. Everest has given a TEDxTalk and is a public speaker; she is a three-time Texas State Champion in History and was on a winning International History Bowl team last year.
Why they were chosen for the first lady’s box
Both young women represent issues the first lady has made central to her platform: foster youth and education technology. melania trump is leading the Presidential AI Challenge and has been a longtime advocate for foster children. A source close to her said, "Fostering the Future has positioned the first lady as a leader as it relates to empowering children with education and technology. " Students invited through the program receive fulltime scholarships that include a technological component.
Family will be on hand for the address
The first lady will be joined in the House chamber by members of the Trump family when the president lays out his agenda for the next year. All his adult children and their partners — Don Jr. and fiancée Bettina Anderson; Eric and Lara Trump; Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner; and Tiffany and Michael Boulos — will attend the speech on Tuesday, February 24 at 8 p. m.
March summit, the executive order and funding
Those conversations will continue in March when the first lady hosts a two-day summit at the State Department and the White House on March 24 and 25 in Washington, D. C., a gathering that will formally launch Fostering the Future Together and invite first spouses from around the world. In 2025, the first lady led a Presidential Executive Order on "Fostering the Future, " and President Trump signed an executive order in November to create a Fostering the Future program that brings together federal entities, nonprofits, educational institutions and the private sector to develop education and career opportunities for foster youth. The effort included securing a $30 million budget allocation to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing and other supports for youth with experience in the foster care system.
University partners and program details
The initiative now includes a nationwide network of university partners. Named partners include Vanderbilt, Villanova, University of Miami, University of Florida, Ohio State, University of Texas and the University of Alabama. The program pairs scholarships with a technological focus intended to expand education and career pathways for foster youth.
From documentary to the U. N., a through-line on education
The first lady has long emphasized education for children. In her self-titled documentary "Melania, " she showed a Zoom meeting with French first lady Brigitte Macron while preparing for her second stint as first lady; in that conversation they discussed the importance of education. She announced the global initiative at the U. N. General Assembly in September and said, "Remember, our next generation will use tech to revolutionize how we live, travel, design, and connect. "
Next on the public calendar: President Trump will deliver the State of the Union at 8 p. m. on Tuesday, February 24, and the first lady will host the March 24–25 Fostering the Future Together summit in Washington, D. C.
