The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Office of Computer Science is pleased to announce its support for 16 Arkansas teachers to attend the 2018 Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Annual Conference in Omaha, Nebraska. The purpose of these sponsorships is to provide financial assistance to Arkansas educators assisting them with expanding their knowledge of computer science and networking with other educators from around the world through the unique experience of the CSTA Conference.

Selected educators will receive a $1,000.00 sponsorship, after the conference, to offset the expenses associated with attending the conference. The sponsorships are open to teachers, librarians, curriculum coordinators, counselors, and other educators who serve as an example of a passionate technology integrator and/or computer science educator in their Arkansas K-12 public school or district.

To receive the $1,000.00 sponsorship, selected educators will be required to:

• Attend the CSTA Conference in Omaha, Nebraska on July 7-10, 2018,

• Attend an Arkansas delegation event while at the conference,

• Be present for and participate in taking an Arkansas delegation photo during the conference,

• Provide ADE with a completed ADE photo release form,

• Acknowledge that the $1,000.00 can only be provided at the conclusion of the conference and may not cover all expenses, and

• Acknowledge that while session attendance and participation will not be monitored, that the purpose of this award is to assist Arkansas educators expand their knowledge of computer science and network with other educators from around the world through participating in conference activities.

Responsibilities of the Selected Educator include, but may not be limited to:

• Personally registering for the CSTA 2018 Conference,

• Personally registering for any housing/hotel needs,

• Personally arranging for all travel needs,

• Making appropriate school and district leadership aware of this sponsorship, and

• Being liable and responsible for any and all taxes owed in connection with the award.

The selection process is a two phase process. The ADE Office of Computer Science is taking nominations until 4:00p.m. on January 31, 2018, via the Google form found at: https://goo.gl/forms/PSvCPtbUBFmdLCsC3. Nominated educators will be contacted by 4:00p.m. on February 2, 2018, and asked to complete a follow-up survey due by 4:00p.m. on February 16, 2018. Results from that survey will be used to make the 16 selections. Selected teachers will be contacted, and publicly announced, by ADE by 4:00p.m. on February 28, 2018.

Computer Science Education Week December 4-10, 2017, is Computer Science Education Week. Arkansas will release a new computer science-related announcement each day; this is announcement two of seven. For a full listing of announcements as they are made, please visit the newly-redesigned ADE Computer Science webpages at https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/ar-comp-sci-initiative.