Rhode Island Students Invited to Redesign RIDE Website

Published on Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Computer Science and Design Opportunities Offered Through Two Student Contests

PROVIDENCE, RI - The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) today officially launched two student design contests, giving students the opportunity to make a mark on Rhode Island education. High school students with relevant computer science experience are eligible to compete to redesign the RIDE website, and students of all ages, either individually or in groups, are eligible to design emblems for Council Designations on high school diplomas.

Full eligibility requirements for these design contests are listed below. The winning website design will go live in September 2019, and the winning team will be credited in the RIDE website footer. The winners of the Council Designation contest will also be credited on the RIDE website, and their designs will be used on high school diplomas statewide.

“We strive to put students and student voice at the center of everything we do, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to engage and challenge our students,” said Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “What better way to make sure our website is responsive to students than to let them build it? Council Designations are likewise about having students take ownership of their education, and we want them to take ownership of the design."

“Through these two student-centered design challenges, Rhode Island students will bring education policy and practice to life, creating user-friendly, visually-dynamic products that showcase the incredible talent in our classrooms. I can’t wait to see what at our students come up with,” said Barbara S. Cottam, Chair of the Rhode Island Board of Education.

The deadline for intent to participate letters for the RIDE Website Design Contest is October 31, 2018, with final entries due January 14, 2019. Finalists will be notified by RIDE in February 2019, followed by a public poll to vote on the winning design in March 2019. Students on the winning website team may also be eligible for internship opportunities at RIDE, to help bring the website online.

For the Council Designation Seal Competition, designs should be submitted by November 30, 2018. Designs are being solicited for the Commissioner’s Seal (student achievement in ELA and mathematics), the Seal of Biliteracy (both Gold and Silver levels), and Pathway Endorsements in six content areas (arts, business and industry, humanities and world language, public service, STEM, and teaching). The winning designs will be announced in March 2019.

RIDE Website Design Contest

Eligibility

• Rhode Island high school students with (or learning) relevant computer science and coding experience to build a website interface
• High school computer science / web design classes or clubs at public and private schools in Rhode Island
• After-school / extra-curricular computer science or web design programs for students in high school that are run by non-profit community organizations or associations in Rhode Island

Submission Guidelines and Platform Requirements

Council Designation Seal Competition

Eligibility

• Rhode Island students of all ages, working individually or in groups
• Submissions can be for a single designation or for all categories

Submission Guidelines and Design Requirements

-30-