AiC High School Award Publicity Toolkit for Schools

Congratulations! Your student won the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) High School Award. This is a significant recognition, and we want to help you spread the word. Please use the following prompts and sample messaging when communicating information about the NCWIT AiC High School Award with your community and the media. We hope you will use this publicity kit to expand the reach and impact of the NCWIT AiC High School Award.

Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions, and let us know how you have used this toolkit. We look forward to hearing about how you shared the good news!

About NCWIT and the Aspirations in Computing High School Award

NCWIT (pronounced N, C, wit) is a nationwide, non-profit community that widens participation in the technology ecosystem through innovative programs and research. Learn more online at ncwit.org. 

The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School Award honors 9^th-12^th grade students for their computing-related achievements and interests, and encourages them to pursue their passions. Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, related activities, leadership, persistence, and future plans. Since 2007, more than 25,000 students have received an AiC Award.

By generating visibility for these aspiring technologists in their local communities, the NCWIT AiC High School Award encourages their continued interest in computing, builds their identity as “someone who does computing,” and attracts the attention and support of educational and corporate institutions. Additionally, each applicant is automatically welcomed into the nationwide Aspirations in Computing Community, where they can meet peers and discover more opportunities in tech!

Find details about prizes, eligibility, application details, and how the award is structured at aspirations.org/AiCHSAward. 

Publicity

To share the good news about your award recipient, we recommend taking advantage of free, easy, and local promotional outlets. If you are celebrating multiple recipients, consider creating a press release to share with news outlets.

• Newsletters, Websites, and Blogs: Does your school, district, or community host a website, distribute a publication, or maintain an email list or discussion board for highlighting school news and achievements? Use these channels to share a notice featuring the award recipient's story, including how winning impacted their educational goals, career plans, and personal aspirations related to computing, as well as how winning influenced their peers. Find sample text below to get started.

• Social Media: Give students and their networks the opportunity to celebrate by sharing a post on social media, which is a powerful tool for raising awareness. Use platforms like Bluesky, LinkedIn, or Instagram to spotlight your award recipient, and tag #NCWITAiC. If you have photos from an award ceremony, share those too! Find sample text below.

• School Assemblies, Ceremonies, and Announcements: Set aside a moment to recognize your award recipient during daily school routines or periodic events. For example, you could briefly mention this recognition during morning or afternoon announcements over the intercom, call a special assembly to present your student’s personalized award, or recognize your awardee(s) with other outstanding winners at the end of the year.

• Reach out to local media: Check to see if the newspaper, radio, or television stations serving your community have a tip line where you can send information about your award recipient. Many media outlets list this information on their contact page, or have a form that can be used to get in touch. If you have photos or time-sensitive information about an upcoming award event to share, send all files as one .zip attachment. 
  

Sample text​

For newsletters, websites, and blogs, copy and paste the text below and then add in specific details about your award recipient(s):

Congrats, [NAME]: [YEAR] NCWITAiC [AWARD LEVEL] Winner! We are proud to announce that [FULL NAME], a [GRADE LEVEL] student at [SCHOOL NAME], won a prestigious NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School Award! [Use this area to share details about your student's involvement in clubs, hackathons, and their hopes and goals in computing and technology to showcase why they were selected for recognition.] Join us in celebrating this accomplishment at [AWARD EVENT LOCATION] on [DATE] at [TIME]!

For social media, modify the samples below to create engaging posts celebrating your awardee(s)!

On Bluesky:

🎉 Congrats to [NAME] for winning a [YEAR] #NCWITAiC High School Award! You are the future of tech! We look forward to more opportunities to celebrate your computing achievements with the @aspirations.org Community!

On Instagram:

🎉 Congrats to [NAME] for winning a [YEAR] #NCWITAiC High School Award! You are the future of tech! We look forward to more opportunities to celebrate your computing achievements with the @ncwitaic Community!

On Linkedin:

🎉 Congrats to [NAME] for winning a [YEAR] #NCWITAiC High School Award! You are the future of tech! We look forward to more opportunities to celebrate your computing achievements with the @NCWIT #AiCcommunity!

On Facebook:

🎉 Congrats to [NAME] for winning a [YEAR] #NCWITAiC High School Award! You are the future of tech! We look forward to more opportunities to celebrate your computing achievements with the @aspirationsaward Community!

For announcements, adapt the text below and add in unique details about your award recipient(s):

Today, we are proud to celebrate [NAME] for winning a [YEAR] NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School Award! [NAME] won this prestigious recognition for [use this area to share details about your student's involvement in clubs, hackathons, and their hopes and goals in computing and technology to showcase why they were selected.] Congrats, [NAME]!

For contacting local media, assemble information about your award recipient into a folder that you can send as a .zip file. We recommend including:

• A document with a bio about your student, and information about any coding clubs or extracurricular activities your award recipient either participates in or leads.
• A quote from your award winner about what winning means to them, and/or a quote from your student's teacher or mentor about their progress and aptitude for technology.
• Photos of your award recipient participating in computing and/or receiving and displaying their award.
• Contact information where a member of the press can reach out to get in touch.

The sample text on this page is available to use as a guideline and adapt as needed to celebrate your award recipients. We invite you to send links to posts and media coverage about your award recipients to [email protected] so we can celebrate with you!