TAG Education Collaborative Announces 2011 WEBChallenge Scholarship Competition for High School Students

9th Annual WEBChallenge to focus on Engaging Students in S.T.E.M. Learning

Atlanta (February 17, 2011) — TAG Education Collaborative announces registration for their 9th Annual WEBChallenge Scholarship Program begins February 16, 2011. In this year’s challenge, each team will have until April 1, 2011 to build an application of their choosing (simple game, tutorial, etc…) that will teach other students a topic of the team’s choice related to science, technology, engineering or math (S.T.E.M) in a new and engaging way.

Teams will develop a Web-based application using a systems development process that is typical of a real-world development, on a smaller scale. Students will develop plans and track progress in the planning, constructing, testing, and implementation phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

New Awards Program for Teachers - An additional program has been added to the WEBChallenge this year. For the first time, faculty members that support the winning teams will receive a stipend for their supply budgets. “This is a tough time for teachers to have the tools they need to teach at their best. We recognize that teams that perform the best have solid faculty involvement. By rewarding those educators, we are able to help provide the best teachers with a few more tools,” said Dan McDade, Chairman of the TAG Education Collaborative Board and President of Point Clear LLC.

Eligibility – To be eligible teams must meet the following basic eligibility criteria –

• Teams will consist of two to four high school student team members and each team must have a primary contact person and register between February 16 – March 23.
• Each team must represent a school or approved school organization; including home schools. Students from different schools may participate on a single team .
• Each team must be represented by a faculty advisor. This may be anyone who represents the school organization. Faculty advisors may represent multiple teams from the same school.

Judging and Scholarship Awards – Final web applications must be submitted by April 1, 2011. Judging will be conducted by members of the business community with scholarship prizes given in the following categories. Scholarship awards will be given at an Awards Program on May 4, 2011.

• Best/Most Useful Concept
• Best/ Most Effective Implementation
• Best Documentation Package
• Judges Prize for Best Overall Creativity
• Grand Prize for Best Overall Entry

“We expect this year’s competition to be the most competitive yet. Not only do we expect more teams and participants, we have consistently attracted some of the best STEM students in the state. This program gives students an opportunity to showcase their skills by developing web-based applications that can make a difference in the classroom,” says Michael Robertson, Executive Director of TAG Education Collaborative.

The TAG Education Collaborative is dedicated to strengthening Georgia's future workforce by uniting Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) resources with leading education initiatives while emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Tino Mantella, President of Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) added, “The WEBChallenge program is one of the major initiatives to improve the workforce readiness of students in Georgia. While this has been a hot topic lately, TAG has been working to improve the readiness of our future workforce through the WEBChallenge program for nine years. This really gives our students a forum to learn real life development skills and to show their knowledge of STEM topics.”

For more information on the WEBChallenge, visit www.tagedonline.org or contact Michael Robertson, Executive Director of TAG Education Collaborative at mrobertson@tagonline.org .

About TAG Education Collaborative
TAG Education Collaborative initiatives include a student internship program, the WebChallenge competition for high school students, and the Vine Event, a fundraiser launched in 2009 which has raised more than $80,000 to support STEM education. The TAG Education Collaborative provides middle school and high school programs designed to provide these students with hands-on activities that enable them to gain an appreciation for the opportunities available in STEM careers. For additional information, visit TAG Education Collaborative or contact Michael Robertson at (404) 920 – 2038 or mrobertson@tagonline.org

About Technology Association of Georgia:

Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 27 special interest groups, or Societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG’s charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. TAGthink is the TAG’s nonprofit networking organization

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This release was published on openPR.