The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) is a worldwide organization of scientists and engineers. We are associated with electronics, electro optics, communications, information technology, security and other associated technologies. The Erie Canal Chapter of AFCEA, along with the AFCEA International Educational Foundation, has developed several programs in order to encourage student and educator interest in science and engineering endeavors.

The Erie Canal Chapter, in cooperation with the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, NY, provides judges to area schools for local science fairs. We also assist in adjudication and award hundreds of dollars in cash to students at the Utica College Regional Science Fair. Each year our chapter, through various fund raising activities, has been able to present high school seniors and college students from the Mohawk Valley with thousands of dollars in scholarship assistance.

Our members and the AFCEA International Educational Foundation understand the need to provide additional funding to teachers to encourage the participation of students in science and math activities. As a result, the Erie Canal Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) is pleased to announce a continuation of its Teaching Tools Award for the 2005-2006 academic year. This award is part of an ongoing process within the local chapter and AFCEA Headquarters to encourage junior and senior high school students to pursue the study of science and engineering as a career choice.

The Teaching Tools Award - With cash value of up to $1000.00 - will be based upon applications received by our Review Committee from science/math/technology teachers with a November 30, 2005 deadline. The winner(s) of the award(s) will be announced in Mid January 06. Implied with the presentation of the award is a guarantee by the winning school system that the funds received are to used by the teacher as he/she desires for the purchase of supplies, with the approval of the AFCEA Oversight Committee, and are in addition to those funds already budgeted by the school district for the teachers classroom.

Prior winners have included teachers from municipal as well as suburban and rural school districts throughout Central New York.

The homework for the winning teacher(s) will be an end of the academic year accounting of the funds that were spent and what the results were for the students. Pictures showing these activities will be encouraged and may be posted on our web site and also provided to AFCEA International for possible inclusion in their organization magazine-Signal.

The Teaching Tools Award is part of the Erie Canal Chapters educational encouragement efforts which also include supplying judges and cash prizes for the student exhibits at the Utica College Regional Science Fair. Information on requirements for the UC Fair is available from http://www.sciserv.org/ or from the Arts and Sciences Division Office at Utica College.