Requirements and Deliverables

All project submissions must be a single PDF document that:

• Is no larger than 30 MB;
• Has no more than 10 pages PLUS a title page (11 pages total); and
• Has 12-point (or larger) font size.

Each submission must include the following sections that will clearly explain the team’s project and cite any tools and primary sources used for both the project and the preparation of the project submission.  

1. Title Page - the following items MUST be included on the title page:
   • Project Title
   • Team Members
     • Include the school/homeschool and grade level for each student and the school or community group for the Team Leader
   • Link (accessible with no password) to the team’s video.
2. Summary (one page maximum) - Consider the following when preparing the summary:
   • What goal of the project, and why does it matter?
   • Who is affected by this solution, and how?
   • How can SI help?
   • What specific SI methods, tools, or platforms will be used or developed?
   • How would the SI technologies be used? 
   • How did working on this project deepen the team’s understanding of SI technologies and their appropriate and responsible use?
3. The Objective - Consider the following when describing the opportunity, challenge, or issue being addressed:
   • Who is impacted?
   • What is the motivation to complete this project? 
   • What evidence or research supports the need for a solution or new method?
4. The Solution - Consider the following when describing the team’s SI-based solution to the challenge or objective described in Section 3:
   • Why is the team’s proposal the best solution? 
   • What other methods or solutions have been tried? Why didn’t they work? Provide evidence.
   • What kind of SI tools, platforms, technologies, or methods is the team proposing?
   • How does using SI make this method or solution better than others?
   • How will SI tools or methods be used?
   • In what way is this method or solution creative in how it applies SI technologies? 
5. Safety – Describe how the team worked together to ensure that the physical and emotional safety of users and the security of all data is not compromised. 
6. Learning Achievements – Explain the roles and responsibilities of each member and consider the following when preparing the learning achievements of each team member:
   • What did each team member learn from working on this project?
   • What challenges did team members face during development, and how were they addressed?
   • Describe the ways the Team Leader provided support and guidance to the team.
   • How did the team test or verify the accuracy of any SI-generated content, outputs, or predictions (if applicable)? 
   • How accurate were the outputs (if applicable)?
   • What research did team members conduct to support ideas for the solution?
7. Next Steps – Describe what the team might add to the project if they were given three more weeks to work on it.
   • What would be changed if this project advances to the regional competition? 
   • What is required to turn this idea into a fully functionable, deployable app or tool?
   • What additional work would be needed to demonstrate full viability of the solution, method, or tool?
8. References and Acknowledgements – Include all resources used to develop the team’s solution, tool, or method, as well as any resources used to complete the project submission. This section can also be used to thank or acknowledge anyone who helped with or provided guidance for the project.

Projects in the Trailblazer Track must have nationwide impact AND be novel (new or unique). All other projects should be entered into the Standard Track.

All project submissions must be a single PDF document that:

• Is no larger than 30 MB;
• Has no more than 10 pages PLUS a title page (11 pages total); and
• Has 12-point (or larger) font size.

Each submission must include the following sections that will clearly explain the team’s project and cite any tools and primary sources used for both the project and the preparation of the project submission. 

1. Title Page - the following items MUST be included on the title page:
   • Project Title
   • Team Members
     • Include school/homeschool and grade level for each student and the school or community group for the Team Leader
   • Link (accessible with no password) to the team’s video.
2. Summary (one page maximum) - Consider the following when preparing the summary:
   • What goal of the project, and why does it matter?
   • Who is affected by this solution, and how?
   • How can SI help?
   • What specific SI methods, tools, or platforms will be used or developed?
   • How is this technology solution a novel, unique approach to a national challenge?
   • How would the SI technologies be used? 
   • How did working on this project deepen the team’s understanding of SI technologies and their appropriate and responsible use?
3. The Objective - Consider the following when describing the opportunity, challenge, or issue being addressed:
   • What is the motivation to complete this project?
   • Who is impacted and could stand to benefit from your solution?
   • What evidence or research supports the need for a solution or new method?
4. The Solution - Consider the following when describing the team’s SI-based solution to the challenge or objective described in Section 3:
   • Why is the team’s proposal the best solution? 
   • What other methods or solutions have been tried? Why didn’t they work? Provide evidence.
   • What kind of SI tools, platforms, technologies, or methods is the team proposing?
   • How does using SI make this method or solution better than others?
   • How will SI tools or methods be used?
   • In what way is this method or solution creative in how it applies SI technologies? 
5. Safety – Describe how the team worked together to ensure that the physical and emotional safety of users and the security of all data is not compromised. 
6. Research Supporting the Novel Approach – Look into existing tools and technologies that address similar challenges and show evidence that supports the originality of the method or solution.
7. Learning Achievements – Explain the roles and responsibilities of each member and consider the following when preparing the Learning achievements of each team member:
   • What did each team member learn from working on this project?
   • What challenges did team members face during development, and how were they addressed?
   • Describe the ways the Team Leader provided support and guidance to the team.
   • How did the team test or verify the accuracy of any SI-generated content, outputs, or predictions? 
   • How accurate were the outputs?
   • What research did team members conduct to support ideas for the solution?
8. Next Steps – Describe what the team might add to the project if they were given three more weeks to work on it.
   • What would be changed if this project advances to the regional competition? 
   • What is required to turn this idea into a fully functionable, deployable app or tool?
   • What additional work would be needed to demonstrate full viability of the solution, method, or tool?
9. References and Acknowledgements – Include all resources used to develop the team’s solution, tool, or method, as well as any resources used to complete the project submission. This section can also be used to thank or acknowledge anyone who helped with or provided guidance for the project.

All project submissions must be a single PDF document that:

• Is no larger than 30 MB;
• Has no more than 10 pages PLUS a title page (11 pages total); and
• Has 12-point (or larger) font size. 

Each submission must include the following sections that will clearly explain the team’s project and cite any tools and primary sources used for both the project and the preparation of the project submission. 

1. Title Page - the following items MUST be included on the title page:
   1. Project Title
   2. Team Members
      • Include the school/homeschool and the grades and/or subjects taught by each educator
   3. Link (accessible with no password) to the team’s video.
2. Summary (one page maximum) - Consider the following when preparing the summary (not all may apply to every project):
   • What SI concept is the team teaching?
   • What method or tool is the team creating?
   • Describe the unique method that will be used to teach the SI concept?
   • Describe the unique or transformative SI tools that will demonstrate improved classroom or school practice.
   • How does the new teaching method improve student learning?
   • How do the new SI tools improve the education field in ways not possible without SI?
   • How did working on this project deepen both the team’s and their students’ understanding of SI technologies and their appropriate and responsible use?
3. The Approach - Clearly explain the development process, including planning steps, testing, and intended outcomes and consider the following when describing the team’s unique SI concept, method, or tool (not all may apply to every project):
   • Why is the team’s strategy an improvement over previous approaches to transforming classrooms or schools? 
   • What other strategies have been tried? Why didn’t they work?
   • Describe all SI methods, tools, or platforms and how they will be used.
   • How is the approach different or better than traditional processes without SI?
   • What planning and preparation went into your design?
   • How does the approach impact students and their education? 
   • Does the team have any evidence of impact or student learning (e.g., pilot run, feedback)?
   • Will the SI tools or techniques enhance educators’ teaching style, classroom management, or communications with families in a way not easily possible without SI technologies? If so, include rationale or evidence.
   • In what way is the team’s approach unique or transformative? 
   • How is the approach relevant to students' lives or learning needs? 
   • What research supports the claim that this approach could be a best-practice for other educators or administrators? 
   • How will the SI tools or techniques work in other classrooms or schools?
4. Safety – Describe how the team worked together to ensure that the physical and emotional safety of students and the security of any data used or created. 
5. Learning Achievements – Explain the roles and responsibilities of each member and consider the following when preparing the learning achievements of each team member:
   • What did each educator team member learn from working on this project?
   • What challenges did team members face during development, and how were they addressed?
   • How did the team test or verify the accuracy of any SI-generated content, outputs, or predictions (if applicable)? 
6. Next Steps – Describe what the team might add to the project if they were given three more weeks to work on it.
   • What would be changed if this project advances to the regional competition? 
   • What is required to turn this idea into a fully functionable, deployable app or tool?
   • What additional work would be needed to demonstrate full viability of the solution, method, or tool?
7. References and Acknowledgements – Include all resources used to develop the team’s solution, method, or tool, as well as any resources used to complete the project submission. This section can also be used to thank or acknowledge anyone who helped with or provided guidance for the project.

• Maintain a maximum file size of 300 MB.
• Recording a team Zoom call for the 4-minute video is an option for the video.
• Email SI.Challenge@doe.gov if you need access to a Zoom session.
• If you use a phone to shoot a video, please shoot horizontally at all times.
• Videos do not have to include credits, but if they do, these must be included in the 4-minute time limit.
• Videos can be shot and edited by someone not on the team; however, the subject(s) of the video and its content must be created by team members.
• The video will need to be successfully uploaded to a platform before the team can complete the submission. Please allow enough time prior to the submission deadline to upload your video.
• Judges will only view the first four minutes of the video.