Melania Trump to Host 10-Year-Old Texas Student and Foster-Youth Advocate at State of the Union

Melania Trump will host two young guests in her House chamber box for the State of the Union on Tuesday, February 24, as President Trump prepares to give the first State of the Union speech of his second term at 8 p. m. Melania Trump invited Everest Nevraumont, a 10-year-old student from Austin, Texas, and Sierra Burns, 24, who benefited from the Foster Youth to Independence program, to represent her priorities on foster care and artificial intelligence in education.

Melania Trump hosts Everest Nevraumont and Sierra Burns

Seated with the first lady will be Everest Nevraumont, a fifth grader at the Alpha School in Austin whose hybrid learning curriculum includes AI, and Sierra Burns of South Carolina, a 24-year-old who grew up in the foster system and became a beneficiary of the Foster Youth to Independence program. Everest has become a public speaker and podcaster, gave a TEDxTalk at 10 about how she uses AI in her education, is a three-time Texas State Champion in History, and was on a winning International History Bowl team last year. Burns has become a public advocate for reform in the foster system.

Guests reflect foster-care and AI initiatives

Both young women are meant to showcase issues central to the first lady’s agenda: foster children and education with technology. Melania Trump leads the Presidential AI Challenge and has long advocated for youth in foster care; she said, "Sierra and Everest embody my ongoing mission to uplift America's foster youth and expand opportunity for our next generation through education and technology. " A person close to her added, "Fostering the Future has positioned the first lady as a leader as it relates to empowering children with education and technology. "

Family in the gallery and the State of the Union schedule

The first lady will be joined in the House chamber by other members of President Trump’s family as he lays out his agenda. All his adult children and their partners are expected in the gallery: Don Jr. and his fiancée Bettina Anderson, Eric and Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and Tiffany and Michael Boulos. President Donald Trump will deliver the State of the Union at 8 p. m. on Tuesday, February 24; the speech is described as the first State of the Union of his second term.

Programs, funding and university partners

Melania Trump has made foster children a centerpiece of her Be Best work, continuing an effort she worked on before returning to the White House. In her self-titled documentary, she showed a Zoom meeting with French first lady Brigitte Macron while preparing for her second stint as first lady; the two discussed the importance of education for children. In 2025, the first lady led a Presidential Executive Order on "Fostering the Future, " securing $30 million for foster youth housing and launching both the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge and Fostering the Future Together. 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.

Summit dates, university network and scholarships

Those discussions will continue in March when the first lady hosts a two-day summit at the State Department and the White House to formally launch Fostering the Future Together. First spouses from around the world will be invited to Washington, D. C., on March 24 and March 25 for the event. Melania announced the global initiative at the UN General Assembly in September and said, "Remember, our next generation will use tech to revolutionize how we live, travel, design, and connect. " Her team has established a nationwide network of partner universities, including Vanderbilt, Villanova, University of Miami, University of Florida, Ohio State, the University of Texas, and the University of Alabama, and students in the network receive fulltime scholarships focused on education with a technological component.

Other notes from the State of the Union coverage

The broader coverage around the address included several separate items and developments mentioned alongside the State of the Union reporting:

• Odds on Warsh to win the nomination rose to 95% on Friday after a story said the administration is preparing to put him forward.
• One past State of the Union ran for one hour and 48 minutes, described as the longest on record.
• Mortgage and refinance rates have settled below 6% in recent figures.
• Connor Hellebuyck will be receiving more than just a gold medal for his work at the 2026 Olympics.
• Apple has started blocking users under 18 in certain regions from downloading apps and introduced new age verification tools for developers.

The confirmed next event tied to the first lady’s initiative is the two-day Fostering the Future Together summit on March 24 and March 25 in Washington, D. C., which officials say will bring first spouses and international partners to the State Department and the White House to focus on empowering children in technology and education.