Kentucky Youth Advocates is excited to announce the Statistics in Schools Sweepstakes, a free and easy way for Kentucky teachers to help their school win $500 by using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistics in Schools materials during Constitution Week (September 16-20, 2019). Four $500 checks will be given to winning schools – one for a Preschool/Kindergarten program, one for grades 1-5, one for grades 6-8, and one for grades 9-12. PLUS, an additional $500 prize will be awarded to a Jefferson County public school that utilizes the Bureau’s ELL materials.

Why during Constitution Week?

All schools receiving federal funding are required to teach students something about the U.S. Constitution during the week of September 17th to commemorate its signing. Constitution Week is the perfect time to introduce teachers and students to the work of the Census Bureau – especially the upcoming decennial census – as Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution requires the “actual enumeration” of everyone living in the United States every ten years. Also, Constitution Week is six months from when households will first be invited to participate in the 2020 census, so we need to get teachers familiar with census resources and students enthusiastic and eager for their home to be accurately counted.

Why these materials?

The Census Bureau’s Statistics in Schools (SIS) materials are designed by teachers to engage students Pre-K through grade 12 with census statistics in a variety of classroom subjects (English, math, history, geography, sociology, and more). The materials are aligned with education standards and guidelines and easy to use within existing lesson plans. There are already more than 200 activities and resources available. View the 2020 Statistics in School materials resources here and past activities and resources specific to Constitution Day here.

What’s new for 2020?

SIS has additional materials specifically for the 2020 census available:
– 67 new activities for grades pre-K through 12 that have students use data in interactive ways;
– Large, colorful maps with fun, census-based facts about the country and its territories, including state-by-state comparisons;
– A storybook with activities and a music video for children in preschool and early grades; and
Resources for English language learners and adult English as a second language students.

How will my school and students benefit?

Your school comes out a winner even if you don’t receive $500! Educating students on the importance of counting everyone during the 2020 census will help remedy the persistent undercount of children and ensure your school gets its fair share of federal funding. That’s because annual allocations for a number of federal programs important to schools – Title I and Special Education Grants, Head Start, School Lunch and Breakfast Programs – are calculated based on census-derived data. If students in your community are missed in the 2020 census your school will miss out on federal funds – a mistake that can’t be corrected for 10 years.

In addition to impacting the amount of federal funds received by schools in your community, there are a number of benefits of using Statistics in Schools for teachers and the materials prepare students for a data-driven world. Better yet, hear directly from educators who have used the materials in their classrooms in this video.

How can teachers increase their school’s chance of winning?

Participating in the Statistics in School Sweepstakes is easy! Start planning soon how your classroom will use the materials during Constitution Week. During Constitution Week, take pictures or video showing how students in the classroom are using the materials.

At the end of Constitution Week, ask teachers to submit images and a description of your school’s activities through the entry form. Shortly after Constitution Week, Kentucky Youth Advocates will randomly pick teachers submissions and announce the schools receiving a $500 check. Additionally, with support from Corona Spanish Media, one Jefferson County public school that utilizes the ELL materials will win $500 – please indicate on the entry form to be qualified.

The more teachers that participate, the better your school’s chance of winning! 

If there is good turnout for the September sweepstakes Kentucky Youth Advocates will try to hold another one during Statistics in Schools Week (March 2-6, 2020), which is only one week before most households receive their first 2020 census invite in the mail.

We are no longer accepting submissions.