CS Teaching Excellence Awards

The CS Teaching Excellence Awards are designed to recognize outstanding teaching by K–12 computer science teachers. Winners excel in inspiring students to explore the computer science field, engaging students in learning rigorous standards-aligned computer science content, and broadening the participation of underrepresented students in computing. CSTA will select at least three K-5 CS teachers and three 6-8 teachers of the ten national winners. These awards were made possible by a grant from Infosys Foundation USA.

Get Inspiration from Last Year's Winners
 

The Awards  

Thanks to funding from the Infosys Foundation USA, CSTA can expand this award to recognize fifteen individuals this year. Applicants will apply and be evaluated at the national level. Those applicants not selected for an award at the national level will be eligible to win our regional-level prizes. Applications will be reviewed amongst five regions in the United States; chapter membership is not required. All individuals will be notified of their application status by the end of April 2021.
 
Up to ten winners will receive: 
  • A cash prize of $7,500 
  • Complimentary registration to the 2021 CSTA Virtual Conference 
  • Complimentary registration to the 2021 Summer Pathfinders event, hosted by Infosys Foundation USA.
  • A featured article that shares their work published on CSTA’s The Voice, an interview in the CSTA+ newsletter, which will also run on The Voice, and/or will be featured in a video at the CSTA Annual Conference.
Up to five runner-ups will receive:
  • A $2500 cash prize 
  • Recognition on CSTA’s website 
  • Recognition from the CSTA chapter region of the applicant 
New This year! 15  Regional Awards to applicants who were not selected as finalists or runners-up. 
  • a $500 cash prize 
  • Recognition on CSTA's website 
  • Recognition via a regional awards ceremony

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for the CS Teaching Excellence Award, you must:

  • Live in the United States

  • Teach K–12 Computer Science

*While it is not required to be a CSTA member, membership is highly encouraged. Join now at csteachers.org/join.

*Current CSTA Board Members, staff, and their immediate family are not eligible for awards with prizes attached.

Applications for 2020-21: Closed 

All applicants will receive notice of their application status in late April 2021. 
 
If you have any questions, please reach out to awards@csteachers.org. 
These awards were made possible by a grant from Infosys Foundation USA.

Past Awards for CS Teaching Excellence Winners: 

2019-2020

Maria Camarena
Daryl R. Detrick
Vivienne Forrester
Mary Heishman
Visa Thiagarajan

Honorable Mentions 
Elizabeth A. Dierker
Jennifer Jones
Carolyn A. Petite
Brian Downing Smith
William Warren

Read more about the winners. 

 
2018–2019 

Nimmi Arunachalam 
Michelle Cannon
Elaine Griggs 
Jonathan LoPorto
Laura Ramirez 

Honorable Mentions
Michelle G. Lee
Lanna Mack 
Andrea Salas 
Kristie Steinlicht 
Leon Tynes 

Read more about the winners.

2017–2018
Sandra Czajka
Martin Fish
Bobby Oommen
Ryan Robidoux
Dylan Ryder
 
2016–2017
Eric Allatta
Jacqueline Corricelli
Karen Donathan
Farrah Falco
Steven Floyd
Ray Kinne
William Lau
Robert Luciano
Daniel Moix
Jared O’Leary