CRITERIA & Format

Applications for 2025 Due 9/28/2025

Eligibility

Entrants can be a single student or a group of up to four members, with every member of the entry group being:

A full-time high school student
Good academic standing with high school

An Educator or Administrator must be named on the entry and provide oversight of the submittal. The school district must be a member of MSBA or IASA.

Idea Requirements

Your process, lesson, activity or product must

Be able to be produced for $500
Be feasible and equitable for your community
Inspire STEAM learning

Applications due 9/28/2025

Here's what to submit.

Written Project Plan: No more than 5 pages PDF, 12 pt font, with the following information uploaded on the "Submission" Tab of this website:

Cover Page - Project Title, Student Name(s), Administrator or Educator Name/Email/Phone, School Name, School District Name, Date of Submittal

Background Info - What was your inspiration for the Project? How does it impact your community? What changes took place from your initial idea to the final Project plan?

Project Description -

Project Impact: How will the Project engage younger students through STEAM learning in an inspiring way?

Project Goals: What goals do you hope to accomplish with this Project, for your school district and/or community?

Project Details:

What group will you engage with this Project?
Where will this Project take place?
What resources, including people, are required to implement the Project?
What creative details about your Project will make a lasting and inspiring impression on your audience?

Project Budget - Provide a list of materials and resources, along with an anticipated cost for each item, with a maximum total budget of $500 allowed. Describe how you calculated the costs. List the potential problems that might increase your costs. What steps can you take to reduce the risk of those problems?

Project Schedule - Show the anticipated schedule to implement the Project. Include preparation activities, major Project milestones, and any closeout or evaluation activities. List the potential problems that might delay your schedule. What steps can you take to reduce t he risk of those problems?

Looking to the Future (300 words or less) - How will this project positively impact your community? How can the Project be repeated, expanded or elevated to benefit more students in the future?

Purpose Video: Submit a video - No more than 3 minutes explaining your idea according to the selection criteria.

By submitting the video, entrant(s) agree that MSBA, a Missouri nonprofit organization, has the right to use, reproduce, reprint, distribute, and display the video for any organizational purpose, without notification, consent or compensation to the entrant(s)

Cost: There is no cost to submit for the SKILLED Centennial Award.

Upload your submittal to the "Submission" tab by Sunday, September 28, 2025.

Here's how to win.

Judging Criteria: Each entry will be evaluated on the following point basis:

INSPIRATION

10 Points Project Addresses Centennial Award and SKILLED Mission

10 Points Project Incorporates STEAM learning

10 Points Project is Designed for a Specific Target Audience

10 Points Project Equitably Engages District or Community

10 Points Project is Creative and Innovative in your Community

10 Points Overall Project Impact

FEASIBILITY