EdCircuit Staff 
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Finalists at elementary, middle, and high school levels will present their innovative approaches to STEM education to conference attendees.
January 17, 2018
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.―The National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) has announced the nine schools named finalists for the 2018 STEM Excellence Awards. FETC, the largest, national, independent education technology event, will introduce the finalists and unveil the winner at its 38th annual conference, to take place January 23-26, 2018, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The three finalists at each level—elementary, middle, and high school—will present their successful approaches to STEM education to FETC attendees and the winner will be formally announced on Friday, January 26, at the FETC STEM Excellence Awards Ceremony on the Keynote Stage.
“In the 21st century global economy, innovative STEM education is one of the most important factors in preparing students for successful futures. Each of the nine STEM Excellence Awards finalists represents the very best in STEM instruction and serves as a shining example of what schools can accomplish with the right vision and leadership,” said Jennifer Womble, program chair of FETC. “We are impressed with the wonderful work each school has done to support their students and look forward to the start of FETC, where they’ll have the opportunity to share their successes with members of the global education community.”
Throughout the conference, each finalist will present in the STEM Theater, located at Booth 2305 in the FETC Expo Hall. During these sessions, representatives from these schools will showcase their strategies for teaching STEM―which may include presentations about specific model programs or overall tips from their experiences―so that attendees from around the world can learn innovative ways to build their own successful STEM programs. The nine schools recognized as 2018 STEM Excellence Awards finalists are:
Elementary School Division
- Buck Lake Elementary, Leon County Schools, Tallahassee, Fla.
- Union Elementary STEM and Demonstration School, Sumner County School District, Gallatin, Tenn.
- Liberty Elementary School, Loudon County Public Schools, South Riding, Va.
Middle School Division
- Christ the King Catholic School, Diocese of St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Fla.
- Harpeth Hall School, private college preparatory school, Nashville, Tenn.
- Washington Middle School, El Dorado Public Schools, El Dorado, Ark.
High School Division
- Lanier High School, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Sugar Hill, Ga.
- Commonwealth Academy, independent preparatory school, Alexandria, Va.
- All Saints Academy, independent preparatory school, Lakeland, Fla.
Each presentation given by the finalist schools will last for 30 minutes. The presentations will offer an opportunity for conference attendees who want to improve their own STEM practices to learn about lesson ideas, program successes, and implementation strategies.
The STEM Excellence Awards are judged by a panel of seven high-ranking education professionals from across the U.S. The committee is comprised of the following:
- Timothy Childers, assistant principal for Technology Integration, L&N STEM Academy
- 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 panel evaluated more than 100 applications and, based on each school’s use of interdisciplinary curriculum, collaboration, design, problem solving, and the STEM experiences offered to their students, selected the finalists based on their innovation and educational impact.
Registration is open for the 2018 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227. Learn more about the FETC Expo, including the Startup Pavilion, Pitchfest, and exhibiting companies at www.fetc.org/expo.
About the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC)
The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) annually attracts thousands of education and technology leaders from around the world. Delivering strategies and best practices for student success and schoolwide advancement, FETC is known as one of the nation’s premier education technology events. Recognized for its outstanding program year after year, FETC provides CTOs, CIOs, Innovation Directors, Special Ed/Pupil Services Directors, Early Childhood Directors, Media Specialists, Technologists, Administrators and other Educators, the opportunity to explore the most effective integration of technology across the curriculum — from PK-12 — through premium sessions, intensive workshops, various concurrent sessions, live demonstrations of several hundred hardware and software products, plus much more.
About LRP Conferences
LLC LRP Conferences, LLC, an affiliate of LRP Publications, produces more than a dozen professional conferences and trade shows annually including: Campus Technology Conference, Ergonomics Conference & ErgoExpo, Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), Recruiting Trends Conference, Talent Acquisition Tech Conference, and Women Leaders in Education Conference.
About LRP Publications
LRP Publications, founded in 1977 by Kenneth Kahn, is a broad-based media company serving business and education professionals. Specializing in the fields of education administration, education law, education technology, federal employment, human resources, workers’ compensation and disability, the company publishes hundreds of books, pamphlets, newsletters, videos and online resources on various topics including Title 1 and Special Education. Additionally, LRP publishes two industry-leading magazines: Human Resources Executive® and Risk & Insurance®, plus delivers top-quality training and professional development with eLearning, conferences and tradeshows including: HR Technology Conference & Exposition®, National Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Individuals with Disabilities®, National Workers’ Compensation and Disability Conference® & Expo and dozens more. For a complete list of LRP products, eCourses and conferences, please visit www.lrp.com.
Media Contacts:
Rennette Fortune
LRP Publications
P: 561.622.6520
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Further Reading
- The Huffington Post – Inspiring Young Minds to Solve the Challenges of the World with Technology
- Nibletz – FETC 2018 Will Be Here Before You Know It
- edCircuit – Sir Ken Robinson to Keynote 2018 Future of Education Technology Conference
