CITE Members, this is a call to action!
CITE Members, this is a call to action!
Think of those people in your organization, your Regional Group… your peers and colleagues who lead, develop, and support technologists in education and inspire student success. Now is the time to nominate them for a CITE Award (Awards Nominations close May 15, 2026).
Nomination Process
Go to CITE Awards - California IT in Education and click on the “Submit A Nomination” button to sign into the awards nomination software. Aside from basic information on the nominee you will provide an up to 500-word nomination narrative that recognizes the accomplishments of the nominee.
Advice from the CITE Awards Task Force on writing a compelling narrative:
- Enlist several people to gather information and write the narrative
- Mention specific accomplishments
- Include results / data whenever possible
- Mention involvement with CITE (Regional Groups, Committees, Speaking/Moderating)
- Write as a letter to the Awards Task Force
- Read and address all the award qualifications
Here are some examples focused on tangible results:
OK/General:
She is the knowledge hub of our IT organization and is sought out by everyone when they need information or an explanation.
Good/More Specifics:
She has taken the initiative to bring a project management approach to our department to improve our efficiency. Last year she completed the TMAP program and brought lots of useful information back to our team.
Great/Specifics and Results:
She has proactively introduced a project management approach to our department, significantly enhancing efficiency. Notably, she spearheaded the transition to a new Help Desk Ticketing System, which reduced ticket resolution time by 25%. Last year, after successfully completing the TMAP program, she shared valuable insights with the team. One of her key initiatives was implementing a cross-training program to address skill gaps across various sites. This initiative has proven instrumental in decreasing response times by 15% and provided career development opportunities for those newer to the IT field.
Award reviewers want to understand:
- What problem the nominee solved
- Why it mattered for students, staff, or the district
- What results they achieved
- How their actions embody the values of the CITE community
Using AI in your Nomination:
We encourage nominators to use AI responsibly; while ensuring it is not the author of your nomination. Authors should focus on authentically highlighting the real work, leadership, and impact of educational IT professionals across California.
AI tends to default to generic phrases. Writers should ground the nomination in specifics, such as:
- Measurable improvements (reduced downtime, cost savings, increased security, improved infrastructure, etc.)
- How they supported colleagues, mentored others, or strengthened communication with district leadership
- Innovations the nominee introduced
- How their work supported under-resourced sites, improved workflows, or advanced district goals
- Ways they helped their team feel supported or helped advance IT professionalism
AI is a good option as an editor, not author. AI should not replace your voice as an author.
- Write the nominations and then use AI to compare to the criteria, making sure you did not miss any important aspect of the awards
- Include personal stories, quotes, examples
- Elevate the person's role, not just a project; include the personal impact/dedication, lasting results, and the “heart” or motivation
This is a great opportunity to recognize those unsung heroes, community builders, enthusiastic technology evangelists, and rising stars! All nominees will be recognized at the CITE Annual Conference and award winners will receive a free pass to the conference and other perks.