STEM Competitions for K-12 Educators Educator competitions increase students’ interest and excitement for STEM

February is here and so is Random Acts of Kindness Day! The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) wants to challenge you and see how you incorporate kindness into your STEM lesson plans. We want to see how your lesson engages students in acts of kindness whether it be to one another or to their communities. An example of this would be to have students be kind by serving their community libraries or animal shelters! Get students pumped up for helping their communities and being compassionate to others. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a STEM lesson plan that includes kindness. THREE teachers who submit lesson plans will be selected to receive mini grants up to $1,500 to help buy equipment for their classroom!

Prizes:

• Class set of 3D printer pens
• Storymatic cards
• Kindness stickers
• Kindness quote bracelets
• Felt letter board

Teachers! It’s not quite spring, but it’s still time to clean. Throughout the month of January, ORISE wants to know how you keep your classroom clean! What are quick and easy cleaning tips or strategies that you’ve found help keep your classroom clean? Even better, what are some ways you get students involved in helping clean your classroom? To enter the contest, follow ORISE on social media, fill out this (very short) survey, and comment your answer on the post!

Winners:

• Stacy Garofalo, P.O. 081, Robert J. Christen School, NY
• Kendra Edgell, Church Hill Middle School, TN
• Leslie Mohlman, Willowcreek Middle School, UT

Prizes:

THREE randomly selected teachers will receive the following prizes:

• iPad
• Plickers
• Cleaning Kit (medical gloves, foldable Swiffer, handheld vacuum)

There is a technological black out at your school! No computer, no projector, no copier—what now? National Cut Your Energy Day is this month and it is time to get back to the basics. ORISE wants to see your best lesson plan that requires little to no technology and includes saving energy in your classroom. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit an original STEM lesson plan that includes the topic of saving energy. THREE winners will receive mini-grants.

Winners:

• $1,500 mini-grant: Charles H., Sunbright School, TN
• $1,000 mini-grant: Brittany F., Jacksboro Elementary School, TN
• $500 mini-grant: Demvia M., New Mexico Military Institute, NM

Teachers! Need a pick me up this through this winter season? ORISE wants to help "keur" your winter teaching blues. Throughout the month of December, we want you to share your favorite strategies to keep yourself and your students engaged in the classroom as you return after winter break for a chance to win 1 of 3 “Keur-ing” the Winter Teaching Blues Kits!

Winners:

• Michelle C., Rockwood High School, TN
• Matthew L., Harrison High School, GA
• Rebecca R., Loudenslager Elementary School, NJ

Prizes:

THREE randomly selected winners will receive the following prizes:

“Keur-ing” the Winter Teaching Blues Kit:

• Keurig Machine, K-Cup Storage Drawer, and an ORISE ceramic mug!
• Rocketbook
• Document Camera
• Classroom Doorbell

Calling all teachers! As the holiday season approaches, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) wants your help to provide STEM activity plans for students that can be completed at home during the holidays. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a STEM activity plan that incorporates household items for an opportunity to win supplies to start or enhance your own classroom makerspace! THREE teachers will be awarded a fabulous classroom makerspace filled with maker tools and supplies!

Winners:

• Kole C., Lyons Middle School, KS
• Stacey N., St. Louis Priory School, MO
• Chelsea L., Elm Street Elementary School, GA

Prizes include:

• Ozobot Evo Coding Robots
• LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor
• Makerspace Tools and Supplies:
  • Construction paper, Origami paper, Cardboard sheets, glue, hot glue gun, exacto knives, wire cutters, modeling clay with tools, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, sequins, googly eyes, feathers, toy wheels, duct tape, ribbon, and so much more!

Isn’t it fascinating how STEM phenomena such as the Fibonacci sequence or tessellations can be seen in the world around us? ORISE wants to know how you incorporate STEM phenomena into your lesson plans! Teachers of any grade or subject are invited to create a math or science lesson plan that incorporates any STEM phenomena for the opportunity to win a mini-grant! THREE teachers will be chosen to win mini-grants up to $1,500 dollars!

Winners:

• 1^st Place: Samantha O., Harpeth Hall School, TN
• 2^nd Place: Nicole H., North Salisbury School, MD
• 3^rd Place: Sheri C., H. L. Richards High School, IL

Prizes:

• 1^st Place: $1,500.00
• 2^nd Place: $1,000.00
• 3^rd Place: $500.00

Teachers, are you ready to sing? It’s time to get your creative juices flowing and energy pumping because Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) wants to give you a chance to create a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) song. This song must contain original lyrics and be connected to at least one state or national education standard. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a music video with lyrics. THREE teachers will win an iPad and a pair of Raycon wireless earbuds!

Winners:

• Danielle A., Green Magnet Academy, TN
  • view Danielle's video
• Megan H., Victor Solheim Elementary, ND
  • view Megan's video
• Linda L., Wallenpaupack Area High School, PA
  • view Linda's video
• David A., O.A. Thorp, IL
  • view David's video

Prizes:

• 1 iPad
• 1 pair of Raycon wireless earbuds

Teachers! School is back in session and ORISE wants to help e-LAMINATE some of your back to school stress with our social media contest! Throughout the month of August, we want you to reflect on your teaching experience and tell us if you could go back and talk to yourself at the beginning of your teaching career, what advice would you give yourself? To enter the contest, follow ORISE on social media, fill out this (very short) survey, and comment your classroom tips/tricks on the post!

Winners:

• Anna Caruso, NY, P.S. 127 THE MCKINLEY PARK SCHOOL
• Anne Lavelle, OH, Beaumont School
• Heather Wallace, TN, Jellico Elementary School

Prizes:

THREE randomly selected winners received a laminator with laminating supplies!

If you have any questions, please contact STEMEd@orau.org.

Teachers! Summer is here and what better time to learn more about the world! The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) wants to see how you incorporate different cultures from around the world into your lesson plans. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a STEM lesson plan that includes diverse cultures. THREE teachers who submit lesson plans will be selected to receive mini-grants up to $1,500 to help buy equipment for their classroom!

Winners:

• Rebecca Van Duker, OR, Jacksonville Elementary School
• Melissa Poland, Petros Joyner School, TN
• Patricia Lawrimore, Riverwood International Charter School, GA

Prizes:

• 1st place: $1,500 mini-grant
• 2nd place: $1,000 mini-grant
• 3rd place: $500 mini-grant

If you have any questions, please contact STEMEd@orau.org.

Teachers! School is starting soon and ORISE wants to help you get started and organized for the next year with our social media contest! Throughout the month of July, we want to know your most effective routines or strategies which help you to manage your time throughout the school year. 

Prizes:

THREE randomly selected winners will receive a time management kit containing a:

• Fitbit Inspire 2 with a free 1 year Fitbit premium trial
• Lesson Planner
• Sunrise Alarm Clock

If you have any questions, please contact STEMEd@orau.org.

Teachers! School may be out for the summer but ORISE wants to help you jump start your back-to-school supplies list for next year with our social media contest! Throughout the month of June, we want to know your most effective classroom management strategies.

Winners:

Sydney Smallwood, Sweetwater High school, Sweetwater, TN
Annelise Holcomb, Bethlehem Lutheran School, Saginaw, MI
Jessica Bales, Andersonville Elementary School, Andersonville, TN

Prizes: THREE randomly selected winners received a school supplies kit to help restock their classroom!

If you have any questions, please contact STEMEd@orau.org.

We are inviting you to help ORISE celebrate 30 years of growth and innovation! Just like ORISE, technology is ever evolving and ORISE wants to help you bring new equipment into your classroom. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to create and submit a 30-second video creatively showing us a piece of equipment in your classroom that you would love to have updated and tell us how the update will affect your classroom! THIRTY winners will be awarded a prize, see breakdown below.

Prizes:

• 3 WINNERS can choose a piece of equipment for your classroom up to $1,000
• 5 WINNERS can choose a piece of equipment for your classroom up to $750
• 7 WINNERS can choose a piece of equipment for your classroom up to $500
• 15 WINNERS can choose a piece of equipment for your classroom up to $250

Winners:

$1000 Prize Level:

• Mario de La Barrera, Hampden Elementary School, PA ( winning video)
• Shirley McDonald, Ringgold Middle School - Catoosa County Public Schools, TN ( winning video)
• Amy Truemper, Bednarcik Junior High School, IL ( winning video)

$750 Prize Level:

• Beth Cantrell, Smithville Elementary School, TN
• Lorrie Irwin, South Clinton and North Clinton Elementary, TN
• Rebecca Layton, Karns Middle School, TN
• Marcela, St. Onge, Stone Memorial High School, TN
• Kristen Wilder, Gov. William Pitkin Elementary School, CT

$500 Prize Level:

• Robert Bice, Model High School, GA
• Shannon Burnett, Lewiston Elementary School, GA
• Barry Farris, Columbia Academy, TN
• Haley Gentry, Jefferson County High School, TN
• Jeff Leider, Craig High School, WI
• Laurelle Riola-Catbagan, Eleele Elementary School, HI
• Jocelyn Virtudes, Blair G. Ewing Alt Center, MD

$250 Prize Level:

• Alicia Adkins, Heritage High School, TN
• Erica Anderson, Hillsboro High School, TN
• Amber Ankrom, Walkersville Middle School, WV
• Cheryl Burchett, Central High School, TN
• Charles Canestaro, Cortland High School, NY
• Sergio Estrada, Riverside High School, TX
• Fredia Hilton, Elizabethton High School, TN
• Kristy Hutson, Oak Ridge High School, TN
• Luke McKinley, Martin Luther King, OH
• Carol Ochsner, Monroe High School, WI
• Andrea Roberson, Columbia Academy, TN
• Jaclyn Simpson, Columbia Academy, TN
• Sydney Smallwood, Sweetwater High School, TN
• Michelle Strickland, Trigg County High School, KY
• Denise Wright, Ocean Bay Middle, SC

Winners will be announced soon!

Teachers! Spring into the new season with the upcoming ORISE social media contest! Throughout the month of April, we want teachers to submit a list to us of the top 10 best online resources used by educators. 

Prizes: FIFTEEN randomly selected teachers will receive a $50 gift card to get supplies for your classroom!

If you have any questions, please contact STEMEd@orau.org.

Teachers! Here’s an opportunity for you to win supplies to aid in your Earth Science lessons! The grand prize is a Geology Teaching Kit with a variety of supplies to use in your classroom! ORISE wants to see how you teach Earth Science whether in a science class or integrated into another subject area. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a lesson plan that includes Earth Science or geology. Three teachers will win a Geology Teaching Kit for their classroom!!

Winners:

• Catherine Molder, TX, Lake Pointe Elementary School
• Bryson Leftwich, TN, Robertsville Middle School
• Jennifer Munsey, TN, West Middle School

Prizes: Geology Teaching Kit including a classroom set of rocks and minerals, mineral testing kits, a rock tumbler and MORE!