Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did National choose hands-on science?
 

Eligibility

2. May any teacher apply?

3. Why did National choose these communities?

4. Is the contest open to private or parochial schools?

5. Is the contest open to preschool teachers?

Applications

6. How many applications can a teacher or a school submit?

7. What can I do to increase my chances of winning?

8. What kinds of things can I request in my budget?

9. How and when do I submit my application?

10. Will late applications be accepted?

11. How do I know my application has been received?

Using the Online Application System

12. How do I get a username and password?

13. What if my school is not in the database?

14. How do I change the phone number or address of my school?

15. What if my username and password no longer work?

16. What if I forget my username or password?

17. Why do team members need to log on?

18. When does the principal agree to the rules?

19. What is my principal’s username and password?

20. How do I prevent my online application from being lost or interrupted?

21. How can I view the whole application?

22. What happens if I exceed the word limit?

1. Why did National choose hands-on science?
Hands-on science teaches students essential skills in critical thinking to prepare them for the future. We recognize that many schools have lost resources to support these programs. Our new initiative will assist teachers and schools in restoring hands-on science experiences for students in our communities.
Back to Top 

Eligibility
2. May any teacher apply?
Science in Action Awards are open to credentialed K-12 educators who teach science in a Qualifying School either in a self-contained classroom or a subject specific course. Qualifying Schools are public, private or parochial schools located in designated areas of Silicon Valley, California; all counties in the State of Maine; and Tarrant County, Texas. Credentialed educators who do not implement curriculum face-to-face with students or teacher preschool are ineligible. The program is not open to teachers who are directors or employees of National Semiconductor, their respective affiliates and subsidiaries, or immediate family members of directors or employees. For details about eligibility, please see the Official Rules for each program.
Back to Top

3. Why did National choose these communities?
National Semiconductor’s major facilities are located in Santa Clara, California, Arlington, Texas, and South Portland, Maine. The awards and grants programs are part of National’s community relations efforts where the majority of our employees live and work.
Back to Top

4. Is the contest open to private or parochial schools?
Any public, private or parochial school that teaches any combination of grades K-12 located in the Eligible Regions is eligible. The school must have tax exempt status and must be non-discriminatory in its charter or objectives and in the treatment of its staff or constituents.
Back to Top

5. Is the contest open to preschool teachers?
The awards are for standards-based curriculum. There are no science standards for preschool curriculum. The contest is for kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. For details about eligibility, please see the Official Rules for each program.
Back to Top

Applications
6. How many applications can a teacher or a school submit?
Each teacher may submit only one individual or group application. Subsequent applications from the same Applicant will not be considered. A school may submit more than one application provided that each application is submitted on behalf of a different teacher or group of teachers. Members of a group must all teach at the same school.
Back to Top

7. What can I do to increase my chances of winning?
The Selection Rubric will be used by a panel of independent judges to score each application and determine the winners. Review the rubric to determine that your project meets all of the criteria and do your best to make the case with clear, concise answers to all of the application questions.
Back to Top

8. What kinds of things can I request in my budget?
You can request up to $2,000 for individuals and up to $5,000 for groups, payable to the school, for equipment, materials, or to fund professional development and field trips. Your items do not have to be complex or expensive. It could be simple materials to stock your classroom for hands-on experiments. Just be sure to make the rationale for your request within the context of your proposed project.
Back to Top

9. How and when do I submit my application?
You can start an application after you complete your profile or next time you log on. As part of the application process, you will add your principal and any team members, complete the application questions, and agree to the rules. You can review and edit your application until you submit it. When the application is complete, review your work, print a copy, and submit the application. Once an application is submitted it cannot be changed.
Back to Top

10. Will late applications be accepted?
Late applications will not be accepted. Please submit your application early to avoid any last minute technical difficulties. If you have any trouble submitting your application, use Contact Us for assistance. The World Wide Web (Internet) is the only medium to enter in this program and no other means of entrance will be accepted.
Back to Top

11. How do I know my application has been received?
When you submit your application, you will see a confirmation page indicating that it has been received. We suggest that you print this page and keep it with your application page. The Lead Teacher will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your application.
Back to Top

Using the Online Application System

12. How do I get a username and password?
Lead teachers choose their username and password when they set their profile. Team teachers are assigned their e-mail address as username and first name as password until they log-in and change it.

To Register, go to the Science in Action Awards and click the Register button. Your profile will not be saved unless you enter your school name. If you have a username and password, you can log on and choose Update my
profile in the menu to change them.
Back to Top

13. What if my school is not in the database?
School names are from the National Center for Education Statistics database. Many schools are named after persons. Be sure to check by the first name and the last name of the person the school is named after. For example, Abraham Lincoln Elementary is under A rather than L. If your school is new, it might not be in the database. Choose Add School at the bottom of the School Search page. It will take 24-48 hours for your school to be added. You can continue to work on your application, but cannot “agree to rules” until your school is confirmed and added.
Back to Top

14. How do I change the phone number or address of my school?
You cannot change the information associated with your school. If it is wrong, please contact us at nsawards@nimble-net.com or 415-296-9177. We will update the information for you. You can update the name of your principal.
Back to Top

15. What if my username and password no longer work?
Make sure that the log-on page has an orange bar at the top and is located at this URL: www.nimble-net.com/NSAwards/Public/LogOn.aspx. Cookies and JavaScript must be enabled in your browser. For directions to enable cookies in your browser, check your browser help page or go to How to Enable Cookies at Google. For directions to enable JavaScript, check your browser help page or go to How do I enable JavaScript in my browser at Google. Be sure to log-off when you are finished. If you don't log off and your team member uses the same computer to log-on there could be errors.
Back to Top

16. What if I forget my username or password?
To request a new username, send an e-mail to nsawards@nimble-net.com. You will receive a reply within 48 hours. If your password does not work, enter your username and request a new password. You can change your password and update your contact information at any time in My Profile. If you don't receive a new password within an hour, your district may be filtering email from nimble-net.com and you will need to contact nsawards@nimble-net.com.
Back to Top

17. Why do team members need to log on?
When you add a teacher to your team, you will send them an e-mail letting them know. To confirm that they are part of the team and agree to the rules of the program, they need to log-on using their e-mail address as a password and agree to the rules. They can also view the application, contact team members, and update their own profile. The application is read only for team members and principals. Only the lead teacher can make changes to the application.
Back to Top

18. When does the principal to agree to the rules?
The principal ensures that the money awarded to the school is spent as described in the winning application’s budget. Principals do not have to agree to the rules unless your application is selected. If your application is selected, National Semiconductor will notify your principal and request that he or she sign and return documentation within 20 days of notification.
Back to Top

19. What is my principal’s username and password?
When you add your principal to your App Team, a username and password is automatically generated. Your principal can log on to view your application and contact members of the team using their e-mail address as username. They can reset their password by clicking on Forgot your password? in the log on screen.
Back to Top

20. How do I prevent my online application from being lost or interrupted?
We strongly recommend that you draft your answers offline. You can copy and paste the text of your answers in the online application form. Each application page has a Save Changes button. We recommend that you save frequently to guard against computer crashes or network problems. After you save, the application is secure on the award servers.
Back to Top

21. How can I view the whole application?
The review and submit page shows the complete application and all of your answers. You can return to any of the application pages using the App Tracker to make changes.
Back to Top