Are you a high school student worldwide doing extraordinary things?

Are you looking for no cost, no entry fee authentic innovation and entrepreneurial event for your students? In addition to being a Professor in the Department of Technology at Illinois State University, I serve as a member of the board of directors of Celebrating High School Innovators (aka Innovators), an organization that aspires to promote and reward high school students for their creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial mindset. Over the last eight years, we have awarded over $200,000 in cash prizes, scholarships, and in-kind support to high school students around the world. Our goal is simple: to assist high school students in following their dreams.

We know that you prepare your students to be problem solvers, leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, stewards, creators and builders. We want to celebrate and reward them for their brilliance in one or more of the following areas:

·         Arts, Media & Literature

·         Business Entrepreneurship

·         Social Entrepreneurship

·         Health & Nutrition

·         Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM)

What your students need to do?

1.      Submit a 1000-word essay and a 90-second video on what makes them exceptional. If selected by our team to advance, students would advance to an additional round (see number 2 below).

2.      Participate in a 90-second virtual first round pitch. If selected by our team to advance, students would advance to an additional round (see number 3 below).

3.      Participate in a 3-minute final round pitch.

Where and when does Innovators take place?

The first round of the competition takes place virtually from March 27th to March 31st at a time arranged by the teams with our judges. (step 2 above)

The Innovators finals is the team choice of virtual or in person at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, USA on April 22, 2023, starting at 8:00 am Central Time. (step 3 above)

I encourage you to have your students apply by February 19, 2023, at https://chsinnovators.org/.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Chris Merrill, cpmerri@ilstu.edu 

Congratulations to the following ITEEA 2021 Award Winners:

Link to publication 

FREE ELEMENTARY STEM RESOURCES - including Curriculum, Elementary STEM Journals and more. Contact: Steve Parrott to find out more. sparrott@isbe.net 

COVID-19 has caused many Americans to be isolated from each other yet has brought us closer together to help continue to educate our students.  Please feel free to share resources with us so that we have a one stop shop.

• Architecture - https://studyarchitecture.com/blog/resources/study-architecture-at-home/
• Realityworks - We are offering a FREE Webinar titled, “Delivering Activities from guideWELD Curriculum Online” on April 16^th.  This includes free handouts, curriculum and activities.  Simulators are not required to teach this curriculum.  Your teachers can access more information about these webinars and register to attend by clicking here:  https://www.realityworks.com/resources/webinars/   On orders received by May 29^th, we are offering a 10% discount on ALL Welding & Electrical products – This is HUGE and excellent for year-end spending!Also, guideWELD VR and our Electrical Wiring Kits can be used with distance teaching (use as a demo onscreen or have students check them out for home use).
• Technology and Engineering Resources - https://www.ilcte.org/index.php/helpful-links/helpful-links
• CAD   https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad-web-app/overview?plc=ACDIST&term=1-YEAR&support=ADVANCED&quantity=1
• STEM Curriculum    Accessing Engineering byDesign.pdf  
• CAD Resources    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nutRK-hYrRnQ3ZUBwtOiOmJ7vajC0P-p?usp=sharing
  
• CAD    https://www.onshape.com/products/free
• Saftey Videos - https://www.iteea.org/Resources/Safety/Safety_Tests.htm
• CAD    https://www.onshape.com/products/free
• floorplanner.com for web-based architecture
  
• What the Heck Is This Part 1-https://flipgrid.com/9706fc56 What the Heck Is This Part 2-https://flipgrid.com/c8af0b20 What The Heck Is It Class YouTube Video-https://youtu.be/6feh-T2FK6E
  
• Wood working production - http://www.woodworking.org/
• Wood working production - http://www.woodlinks.com/
• SkillsUSA  - https://ctecoalition.com/

If you weren't able to attend previous ITECs, here are quick videos of what you missed.

ITEC 2018 News.mp4

ITEC 2017 Final.mp4