ACESA is expanding and there are volunteer opportunities available right now! All of the three primary projects at ACESA are looking for volunteers.

If you would like to take on some of the planning and execution, or just ask questions, please contact an ACESA board member. You may have seen the ACESA show booth at many of the street fairs and STEM events around the Valley. This year we would like to expand to include the technical societies and associations that are available to our professional colleagues.

Education Collaboration Program

The education collaboration program supports STEM activities in many ways:

• booth attendant - educating the public about the different events happening here in Arizona
• judging science fairs and competitions, both regional and in the local schools
• participating in supporting roles with events like Mathcounts or Science Olympiad
• administering direct funds for selected activities

Volunteers are needed to help create materials for display at events, including flyers, posters and gadgets to attract attention to the ACESA booth. The coordinator communicates with event planners, schedules participation. Volunteers help prepare the booth layout and attend the events to meet and greet the public.

Society Promotion Program

The society promotion program works to bring public awareness to the local STEM societies, organizations and other working bodies. The primary activities are:

• networking with like-minded technical societies and associations
• participate in the ASU, UofA and GCU annual freshmen outreach
• sharing professional experience with both students and parents throughout Arizona, both in person and virtually
• updating website content for news and calendar information

Volunteers are needed to network with societies and associations throughout Arizona, and to build up the database of organizations (which came on-line at the start of 2022). This information is used to promote networking and other social ventures, and to bring attention to opportunities that will encourage both parents and students on the road to a technical career. Potentially, this program can expand to bring technical professionals to technology classrooms.

The Education and Society programs overlap in the need to update social media and the ACESA.org website calendar and event information, and in preparing materials for the ACESA show booth.

GCOI Administration Program

GCOI is the annual Governor's Celebration of Innovation awards ceremony sponsored by the Arizona Technology Council (AzTechCouncil) and the Arizona Commerce Authority. ACESA takes a behind-the-scenes role in GCOI to administer the selection of the Teacher of the Year and Future Innovator of the Year award winners. The time-line for this program runs from January to August, with the GCOI event occurring in November.

Volunteers are need to adjudicate the candidates. This involves reviewing and evaluating the materials submitted by both Teachers and Students, and participating in the judges wrap-up meeting to certify the winning candidates and runners-up. Make no mistake, the students are entering their academic forté and the teachers are the top candidates in the state.

Additional opportunities are available for spreading the word about the Teacher of the Year contest to educators throughout different schools and professional societies.