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IDEA STATE COMPETITION AGENDA IS NOW POSTED FOR 2026
Dear IDEA Members,
As we continue through this school year, I want to thank each of you for your dedication to drafting and design education across Illinois. Your commitment to preparing students with technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities makes a lasting impact not only in our classrooms, but also in the industries and communities we serve.
The Illinois Drafting Educators Association exists because of educators like you professionals who are passionate about collaboration, innovation, and lifelong learning. Whether you are introducing students to foundational drafting concepts or guiding them through advanced CAD and design applications, your work helps shape the future workforce of engineering, architecture, manufacturing, and technology.
This year, IDEA continues to focus on professional development, networking opportunities, and advocacy for drafting and design programs statewide. I encourage you to stay engaged by attending our upcoming events in the Regional and State Competitions, sharing your classroom successes, and connecting with fellow educators. Your voice and participation strengthen our organization.
Thank you for your continued support of IDEA and for the important work you do every day. I look forward to working together as we advance drafting education throughout Illinois.
Welcome back to the Spring Semester. I hope everyone had a great winter break and holiday season!
Spring Semester
These are exciting times for IDEA with the Regional and State competitions right around the corner! We are looking forward to a productive semester and to grow our organization with membership renewals and new members, who are always welcome to join. Educator dues are $40 and can be paid online by going to the IDEA membership page. Check out the rest of the new website where you will find current information about the conference, competitions, resources, and more information about IDEA.
Regional and State Competitions
We will again be hosting the annual regional and IDEA state competitions. A brief of the information is listed below and more details can be found on the IDEA competition page.
*You must be a member of IDEA for your students to compete in the competitions.
*The regional competition sites are listed on the competition page in the teachers section. We have been actively working to keep this map up to date and maintain relationships with our community colleges to be able to offer these competitions. If you are in an area that is not served by a regional, please contact our Competition Director, Steve Skorup. We will try and work with someone in your area to start a new regional site or direct you to a site that can accommodate your students.
*The regional competitions all have different dates. They are being offered within a window of February 13th – March 21st
*All competition registrations are due by February 1st. Registration is $15 for each student competing and again, you will need to pay your $40 educator dues as well if you are not already a member for this school year.
*Registration forms are online. The registration documents are via a Google Docs form and can be found on the teachers competition page. Credit card payments via PayPal are available as a payment option.
*The state competition this year will be held on Saturday, April 11th, at Illinois State University. The number of students in the various contests will determine how many 1st and 2nd place winners advance to the state competition. See specific rules and regulations and awards placement for more information.
* We need your help! We are looking for member and educator volunteers to judge state competitions. Judges will only participate in competitions your students are not competing in.
Thank You
Thank you to the teachers for all the work you put in to get your students registered and prepared. Thank you to the students for taking the time and effort to participate in this event. It is truly a fantastic competition that shows the talents of our teachers and students! Thank you to our IDEA board who does a ton of work to make sure this organization and the competition continues to run as smoothly as possible. Lastly, thanks to all the regional directors and Illinois State University for hosting our competitions and putting in all the work that is required to facilitate them.
Sincerely,
Andrew Corbin
President, Illinois Drafting Educators Association
Argo Community High School
I.D.E.A. Important Dates
2026 Dates TBD: ITEC / IDEA Fall Conference
October 24th 2025: IDEA Annual Membership meeting @ Turner Hall after Tour bus returns
Yearly, December 1st: Architectural Design and Engineering Design Briefs will be posted to the competition page.
Yearly, February 1st: IDEA Regional Competition Registration Due
February 13th - March 20th 2026: IDEA Regional Competition Window
April 11th 2026: IDEA State Competition @ Illinois State University
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