Sponsoring a Student in the Science Without Borders® Challenge
Every participant in the Science Without Borders® Challenge is required to have a teacher sponsor their application. Students must find a teacher to vouch for their application, either a teacher at their school or from an after-school or tutoring program, and provide the teacher’s name, current phone number, and email address on their submission form.
A teacher can give you advice, help you make sure your artwork aligns with the contest theme, and support you in your efforts to create a winning piece of artwork. However, their level of involvement can depend on the situation. There is no cost to sponsoring a student. For more information on what is involved in being a teacher sponsor, see below.
Who Can Be a Teacher Sponsor?
We welcome educators from diverse backgrounds, whether you’re a classroom teacher or an after-school instructor! You don’t have to be a science or art expert, either. We welcome all enthusiastic educators willing to take on the following responsibilities. It’s important to note that a parent or guardian cannot act as a teacher sponsor unless they are the homeschool teacher of their child.
Your Responsibilities:
Stay Connected: Stay informed about contest updates and communicate relevant information to your students and possibly their parents/guardians. We will make several email announcements throughout the contest, including:
- Notification when your student submits their entry form.
- Updates on judging timelines after the contest ends.
- Exciting announcements if your student becomes a semi-finalist, people’s choice, finalist, and/or winner.
- Certificates distributed to all eligible participants.
- Emails if we need to contact your student and/or their parent/guardian.
COPPA Compliance: Children under the age of 13, must have their parent/guardian complete the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) before submitting a contest entry form. Teacher sponsors can assist in communicating to parents/guardians that they need to submit this form to grant permission for their 11 or 12-year-old children to participate in the contest.
Age and Grade Verification: Confirm students’ ages and grades at registered schools to ensure they meet eligibility criteria.
Assist Semi-Finalists: Assist in promptly shipping artwork if students advance to the semi-finalists round. Parents/guardians may also be involved in this process.
Promote Winners: If a student becomes a winner, work with the school to promote the student’s achievement in the contest with the school and local media.
Language Liaison: If English is your second language, if possible, help parents/guardians and students in understanding our communications.
Classroom Resources:
If you’re incorporating the contest theme into your curriculum, we invite you to view our list of educational resources at the bottom of our “Learn About the Theme” webpage.
We also have a flyer you can use to share with your students and post in your classroom.
Need Help or Have Questions?
Reach out to Amy Heemsoth at [email protected] for any contest or sponsor-related queries.