The free online tool — named after the mythic Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest — is designed to help middle and high school students statewide with tasks such as brainstorming possible careers, composing resumes and cover letters, and preparing for job interviews.
Students can enter simple prompts, and Sassy will comb through the state’s career resource hub to pull together the most relevant reply, according to a news release from the nonprofit Journalistic Learning Initiative (JLI), which developed the platform in partnership with ODE and the Southern Oregon Education Service District.
“Sassy’s ability to stay up to date with the latest information from trusted sources ensures that students receive guidance rooted in Oregon’s unique economic, cultural and educational context,” the news release says.
One of the department's objectives with Sassy is to make career exploration more engaging and less overwhelming for students. It’s also designed for schools to use within their existing career advising and educational programs.
Zach Knapp, a career and technical education teacher at Vale Middle School, got early access to Sassy to test the tool with his students, who were excited to see the specific results the platform could provide, he said in a video testimonial.
“They started asking all sorts of great questions about different training options, how to get certified and what sort of salary ranges they could expect,” Knapp said in the video. “It was really, really fun to see them get so excited about that process.”
JLI Executive Director Ed Madison, an associate professor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, led the development of Sassy in collaboration with Playlab, a nonprofit tech company that works with educators to help them create their own AI-powered tools.
JLI offers a host of other AI tools, mostly to support student journalism and writing in general. Its website reports that the nonprofit can adapt Sassy’s AI technology for use in other states and municipalities as well.
