The Award

Eligibility

To apply for the Cutler-Bell Prize, you must be a graduating high school senior residing in and attending school in the U.S. Applicants are asked to submit an artifact comprising a video, written essay responses, and source code that demonstrates modern computing technology and computer science. Judges will be looking for submissions that are creative, advanced, relevant, unique, and show a passion for advancing computer science. A strong submission will also demonstrate a positive impact on the global community.

The project submitted for the Cutler-Bell Award can either be an individual project or a group project. If submitted as a group project ALL members of the team must be eligible (high-school seniors) and submit a signed consent form. If one member of the team is not eligible the project will be disqualified. If selected as a winning application, the identified author(s) would equally split the monetary reward. All decisions are final.

While applying please be sure to reference the rubric.

The Review Process

CSTA’s mission is to expand equity in CS Education, and this includes expanding equitable practices to our programs and awards. In order to have a fair review process, all applicants are reviewed by educators who must complete CSTA’s equity training. The Cutler-Bell Application also asks additional questions about prior awarding for projects and demographic information to ensure a fair process for all applicants.

Getting Started/Submittal Process

1. Go to the application website.
2. Select "submit an application."
3. Create a Cvent account, using a personal email address (not a school account).
4. Follow application prompts, and fill out all required information, including the consent form.
5. You will receive a confirmation message after you submit your application. If you have any questions regarding the process, please reach out to awards@csteachers.org. All applicants will receive notice of their application status by early April 2024.

Things to Know:

1. You can review and prepare for the application prior to submitting it by reviewing the application questions online.
2. Notifications regarding decisions for awards will be sent in April 2024.
3. Questions about your application? You are welcome to review the ACM/Cutler Bell Prize in High School Computing FAQs.
4. Have questions that aren’t on the FAQ sheet? Join the CSTA Awards Committee for an office hours session on November 13, December 14, or January 16. You or your teacher/mentor can register on the CSTA Events page.