Oregon CSTA Monthly Newsletter - May 2026
Hello Oregon CSTA Community! Last month's newsletter took a spring break, but we are back with some extra announcements and reminders to make up for that. ;-)
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
TechStart Foundation: Teacher and Student Awards
The TechStart Foundation will be honoring three outstanding 2026 Teachers of the Year this spring, K-8, 9-12 and Rising Star, as well as two 2026 Students of the Year, one male and one female, at the 42nd annual Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) awards ceremony on May 5, 2026. Nominations for both awards are now closed.
Secondary Student Project Showcase
Oregon CSTA worked with the TechStart Foundation and the Technology Association of Oregon to provide up to 12 student projects at the TAO Awards evening on May 5, 2026 at the at the Portland Hilton (921 SW 6th Ave.)
2026 AI Empowered EDU Conference
On
May 12, 2026 Clackamas ESD, Multnomah ESD, Northwest Regional ESD, and University of Portland will be hosting the third Annual AI Empowered EDU Conference at the University of Portland. See this
Call for Workshop Proposals for details and an opportunity to present your tools and strategies for using AI to solve real community problems.
Computer Science Opportunities
Classroom to Career-Classroom Speakers
Here is an opportunity to bring local technology industry professionals into your classroom. Oregon CSTA, in partnership with the TechStart Foundation, is working to connect technology professionals to your classrooms. TechStart has a database of these professionals who are willing to come into your classroom to present the reality of high-tech based careers to your students. Initial opportunities are currently based in the Portland/Vancouver area, but will expand to other regions of Oregon in the future. Please fill out the TechStart – Classroom to Career School Participation Form indicating your interest in having these speakers to your classroom.
Oregon CSTA Contact List
Oregon CSTA is in the process of updating its member list. Please fill out this Oregon CSTA Membership update request for your contact information. Oregon CSTA does not charge for membership or for any of the PD opportunities provided under the current association structure. The effort here is simple: if you want to be connected to Oregon CSTA, fill out this form. This form will remain live through May 2026. The information we collect will allow us to replace our large current email list with an opt-in one. You do not need to fill out this form, if you no longer wish to receive emails or newsletters from us.
Oregon CSTA Curriculum Questionnaire
We want to compile a list of the CS curricula already used in schools across the state. If you are a K-12 Teacher in Oregon and you teach any computer science courses at your school, please respond to this brief questionnaire
2026 CS Summer Equity Symposium
Educators, counselors, and administrators are invited to explore these strategies at the 2026 CS Summer Equity Symposium. There is no cost to attend and teachers who attend the ECS workshop receive a stipend.
The symposium offers a range of workshops, including:
- Support for high school teachers new to teaching computer science
- Sessions designed specifically for counselors and administrators
- Computational thinking workshops for elementary educators
Please visit CS for Oregon | Summer Equity Symposium for registration details
ECS is supported by a strong and growing community of practitioners. Educators implementing ECS have access to ongoing quarterly professional learning and support, creating opportunities to collaborate, share instructional strategies, troubleshoot challenges, and continually refine practice. For teachers—especially those new to computer science—this sustained community support is a key part of what makes ECS both effective and durable.
Whether you are navigating difficult scheduling decisions, advising students on future pathways, or working to sustain equitable access to high-quality programs, ECS offers a proven approach to computer science education that aligns with Oregon’s values and realities.
If you’d like to speak with a member of the CS for Oregon team regarding Exploring Computer Science, please complete this CS for Oregon - Interest Form.
PNW CSTA Leadership Summit
Join current and prospective CSTA Chapter leaders for the inaugural PNW CSTA Leadership summit!
Chapters often want to encourage new people to get involved in volunteer and leadership roles. Some folks are reluctant to step into leadership positions because they have limited experience and the unknown set of expectations seems daunting and hard to learn, particularly when they are often very busy with other parts of their lives and careers.
In the past, there has been a chapter leader or volunteer summit at the CSTA annual conference. This summit has been instrumental in building community both within each chapter’s board as well as between CSTA chapter leaders, as well as supporting new leaders. Sadly, this year CSTA is not planning to host a volunteer summit at the conference. We hope to mitigate this absence by offering potential leaders the opportunity to attend a one day regional leadership summit. There they will learn more about how to effectively be a board participant, the expectations of the role, and experience the community we try to form as part of the CSTA Chapter leadership.
Location: East Valley High (1900 Beaudry Road Yakima, WA)
When: June 20, 2026, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Please fill out this form to learn more and to indicate your interest in attending
Share Your Story
Do you have some news or event or classroom success you would like to share with the CSTA Oregon community? Please use this form to submit a request for inclusion of your organization's event or announcement in our next monthly newsletter: OCSTA Newsletter Submission Form
Your Oregon CSTA Board
Contact us at oregoncsta1@gmail.com