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 the 2021 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 

Applications for the 2021-2022 year will be open in January/February 2022. 
 
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: 

2020-2021 
National Winners 
 
Mary Ann Cassidy 
Kathleen Effner 
Dr. Tamika Grizzle 
Benadette Manning 
Monika Moorman 
Regina Nadbielny 
Kyle Pierre 
Jeremy Schwartz 
Sonia Spindt 
Barbara Teterycz 
 
Honorable Mentions 
 
Michele Cislo 
Diniah Dean 
Jennifer Manly 
Amy Wright 
Heather Wright 
 
Regional Winners 
 
Illinois 
Anita Debarlaben 
Adam Lueken 
Daniel Ravuyry 
 
Georgia 
Lakeisha Fuller 
Victor Hicks 
Philip Peavy 
 
Kentucky
David Lane 
Jonathan Lowe 
Chad Niedert 
 
New Jersey 
Gary Hull 
Nancy Ricca 
Danielle Vandenberg 
 
Massachusetts 
Ruth Farmery 
Kara Hass 
Eleanor Richard 
 
2019-2020

National Winners

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