Thousands of people fill the Central Bank Center in Lexington, home of Rupp Arena, for the 2026 Student Technology Leadership Program State Championship. Photo by Joe Ragusa, Kentucky Department of Education, April 24, 2026
(LEXINGTON, KY) – More than 20,000 people attended the 2026 Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Championship at Rupp Arena in Lexington on April 24.
Students, educators, district education technology leaders, administrators, Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff and community members witnessed students from all over the state showcasing their technology projects.
Run by KDE’s Office of Education Technology, the Student Technology Leadership Program uses project-based learning, technology utilization and digital content creation to empower student achievement.
“The Student Technology Leadership Program State Championship is one of the premier displays of vibrant student learning in Kentucky each year and it is such a fun, energetic experience,” said Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher. “Thousands of students are eager to show you just what they learned in class and the projects that came from those lessons. Our students are solving real-world problems with technology, helping their communities and preparing themselves for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Each year, students representing schools from all corners of Kentucky demonstrate what they can do with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Students take part in STLP competition areas – including robotics, coding, web design and newscasting – uniting bright minds from diverse backgrounds and communities.
“Whether they are presenting solutions to community issues or engineering complex robots, these students are demonstrating what it means to be engaged citizens, critical thinkers and effective communicators,” said KDE Associate Commissioner and Chief Information Officer David Couch said.
The 2026 STLP State Championship featured more than 550 K-12 schools from 120 school districts.
Lily Schlotterbeck, right, a 5th-grade student at Bloom Elementary School (Jefferson County), explains part of her group’s project to judges at the 2026 Student Technology Leadership Program State Championship. The group developed “Bloom News Kidz,” an interactive website to help students stay up to date with current events in a fun way. Photo by Joe Ragusa, Kentucky Department of Education, April 24, 2026
You Belong! Attendance Matters Video and Poster Contest
The 2026 STLP State Championship was the first to feature the You Belong! Attendance Matters video and poster contest.
The contest invited K–12 public school students across the Commonwealth to create a short commercial or digital poster that highlights belonging, connection and why showing up to school matters. This contest elevates student voices while providing districts with authentic, student-created materials that support the statewide Attendance Matters campaign.
“Chronic absenteeism is a challenge across the country, but Kentucky is leading the way in raising awareness about the importance of students attending school regularly. This contest was a great opportunity for students to provide input on how we encourage their peers to be engaged with school while providing another opportunity for vibrant learning experiences,” Fletcher said.
The poster contest winners were:
- Elementary School: Phelps Elementary School (Pike County)
- Middle School: Harrison County Middle School
- High School: Lawrence County High School
And the video contest winners were:
- Elementary School: Cold Hill Elementary (Laurel County)
- Middle School: North Middle School (Henderson County)
- High School: Pineville High School (Pineville Independent)
The works of the winners will be shared in future KDE statewide social media campaigns. More details about chronic absenteeism and the You Belong! Attendance Matters campaign can be found on KDE’s Attendance Matters website.
With more than 35 different challenges and competitions throughout the day, student champions were celebrated live on the stage in Rupp Arena. A highlight of the day was the naming of the four STLP Project State Champions. From 631 K-12 projects, judges narrowed down the champions to the following teams:
- K-5 Division Best STLP Project in Kentucky: “Bloom News Kidz,” Bloom Elementary School (Jefferson County)
- 6-8 Division Best STLP Project in Kentucky: “Flood Guard,” James D. Adams Middle School (Floyd County)
- 9-12 Division Best STLP Project in Kentucky: “PhisherMen,” Eminence High School
- Dave Sigler Award for Best Technical STLP Project: “Breaking Point Initiative,” Morgan County High School
The students who earned a state championship title have the opportunity to attend the International Society for Technology and Education Conference June 28-July 1 in Orlando, Fla.
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