FETC Invites Nominations for the 2019 STEM Excellence Awards Sponsored by State Farm
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – The National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) invites elementary, middle and high schools to nominate their outstanding STEM programs for the 2019 STEM Excellence Awards sponsored by State Farm by the November 5, 2018 deadline. The awards recognize excellence and innovation in the field of STEM education with winners selected from each level. FETC will introduce the finalists at its 39th annual conference, to take place January 27-30, 2019, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, and the winners will be announced on the keynote stage on the morning of Wednesday, January 30, before the STEM keynote presented by Dr. Mae Jemison.
“Innovative STEM education is one of the drivers in ensuring students are prepared for success in the global economy of today and tomorrow, not just as contributors but as creators,” said Jennifer Womble, program chair of FETC. “Schools that provide high-quality STEM learning opportunities are truly living out the vision of what a 21st century education should be, which is why we seek to highlight some of the nation’s most outstanding programs through the STEM Excellence Awards sponsored by State Farm. We look forward to reviewing the nominations and learning about the wonderful programs schools are providing for students.”
The application process for the STEM Excellence Awards is designed to highlight each school’s interdisciplinary and applied approach to STEM education, demonstrating the effective integration of science, technology, engineering and math into authentic learning opportunities for students. Finalists will be notified in late November. Each finalist school will receive up to five free basic registrations and a $500 travel stipend to bring their team to FETC, where each school will also have an opportunity to give a 30-minute presentation in the conference’s STEM Theater. Each finalist and winning school will receive an engraved glass plaque and national recognition for their successes.
Applicants are evaluated based on the use of interdisciplinary curriculum, collaboration, design, problem-solving and the STEM experiences offered by each school. The STEM Excellence Awards are judged by a panel of seven high-ranking education professionals from across the U.S.:
- Timothy Childers, health science assistant principal, Fulton High School
- Karie Huttner, education technology coordinator and math resource teacher, Verona Area School District
- Dr. Carla Johnson, associate dean for Research, Engagement and Global Partnerships and professor of science education, College of Education, Purdue University
- Todd Kennedy, manager of Technology Services, Golden Hills School Division No. 75
- Lance Lennon, district technology director, Eagle Grove Community School District
- Dr. Erin Peters-Burton, director and associate professor, Division of Educational Psychology, Research Methods and Education Policy, George Mason University
- Mark Smith, executive director, Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL), and chair, FETC STEM Excellence Awards Committee
The winning schools at the elementary, middle and high school levels will be announced before the closing keynote presentation, “Pursuing the Extraordinary,” delivered by Dr. Mae Jemison, the audacious and pioneering polymath at the forefront of integrating the physical and social sciences with art and culture to solve problems and foster innovation. Jemison leads 100 Year Starship®, an independent, non-profit global initiative to ensure the capabilities for human travel to another star within the next 100 years, served six years as a NASA astronaut and was the first woman of color to go into space, and founded two technology companies and the non-profit Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, which designs and implements STEM education experiences impacting thousands of students and teachers worldwide.
The 2018 STEM Excellence Award winners were:
- Elementary School Division: Liberty Elementary School, Loudoun County Public Schools, South Riding, Va.
- Middle School Division: Washington Middle School, El Dorado Public Schools, El Dorado, Ark.
- High School Division: All Saints Academy, Independent Preparatory School, Winter Haven, Fla.
To nominate a school for the 2019 STEM Excellence Awards, please visit this page. All schools must apply online to be considered.
Registration is now open for the 2019 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227. Educators who register before November 16, 2018 will save up to $150 by securing the Super Saver rate.