EIU Media Relations

Registration Deadline Jan. 17 for Student Technology Conference

Students in grades 3 through 12 have until Jan. 17 to register for the 11th annual Students Involved with Technology Conference, taking place on Saturday, Feb. 12, at Eastern Illinois University.

The one-day event -- a unique technology conference for students, by students -- will take place from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and allow students to participate in technology workshops, learning from their peers, technology guest speakers, technology educators and mentors.

Students can choose from a wide variety of technology learning sessions and competitive activities. Students decide which sessions to attend from topics they wish to learn more about, including robotics, gaming, forensics, hardware and software topics, internet safety and much more. Students can also choose to be a SIT presenter and host a session teaching peers. Presenters develop a 20-minute session on a technology topic of their choice, create a handout for their session, and field questions and answers at the end of their presentation.

SIT strives to replicate an industry-level conference experience for its attendees, complete with an opening session keynote speaker, a selection of presentations and demonstrations, snack and lunch. The day concludes with a closing session with contest announcements, drawings and prizes.

Registration is $25 and includes a full day of sessions, a T-shirt, giveaways, snack and lunch. Details about registration are available on the SIT Conference website at http://www.sitconference.org. All SIT participants must pre-register by the deadline date. No registrations will be available at the door.

Each year the SIT Conference strives to expand its accessibility to regions across Illinois. This year's event will be hosted simultaneously at several sites throughout Illinois, including Carterville (Southern Illinois), DeKalb (Northern Illinois), Charleston (Eastern Illinois), Lincolnshire (North Chicago area) and Woodridge (South Chicago area). Anticipated student participation between all sites will reach more than 1,500.

The SIT Conference is sponsored through the Bloomington-Normal Education Alliance Technology Committee, with partners representing Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Heartland Community College, Unit 5, District 87, Olympia Schools, Regional Office of Education, Bloomington Public Library and State Farm.

For additional information about the conference in Charleston, please contact Beth Craig at bcraig@eiu.edu or visit the conference website located at http://www.sitconference.org.