It's 2020 ‒ time for the first online U.S. Census ‒ and your voice matters more than ever.
Each year, $675 billion in federal funds is allocated to states and communities based on U.S. Census data.  Data and digital information are everywhere ‒ but less than 2% of U.S. high school students take the Advanced Placement Statistics exam.

The National Census Data Competition for high school students (& teachers!) is an opportunity to ask questions, explore data, and share insights. 

How to get involved:

  • Sign up for the community mailing list at letsmakeitcount.org to receive the latest updates, including podcasts, tutorials, and local opportunities at schools nationwide / online

  • Join the conversation on social media with #CensusData #2020Census #StatsInSchools

  • Are you a high school student (grades 9-12) in the United States, including Washington D.C. and U.S. territories? Join the Competition now, and submit your entry by Janaury 31, 2021 (11:59pm PT) to be eligible for $5,000 in local and national awards!

  • Share this opportunity with your community. Students can sign up as a Let's Make It Count Junior Ambassador when joining the competition for additional recognition and swag!

  • Do you teach high school students (grades 9-12) in the United States, including Washington D.C. and U.S. territories? To celebrate and recognize your creative efforts towards educating students about Census data, we are introducing Let's Make It Count Awards for Teachers, including funding for professional development and training opportunities! Use the same entry form as the students, but check the "Teacher" box. We can’t wait to learn more about your efforts.

Ask Questions. Explore Data. Share Insights.

Learn more about Census data at https://census.gov/academy and submit a story here about how Census information and context matters to you and/or your community. 

Submissions can include, but are not limited to: posters, infographics, essays, captioned photos, interactive or static data visualization(s), apps, and websites.

Entries will be reviewed by the competition hosts and community leaders for creativity, clarity of message, and the use of Census data for effective storytelling. Submissions should address how the participant has been, is, or will be Asking Questions, Exploring Data, and Sharing Insights.

Let's Make It Count is a data science education initiative launched by the National Science Foundation West Big Data Innovation Hub at SXSW 2019, timed with the 2020 Census and in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistics in Schools program. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants 1916573, 1916481, 1915774, as part of a national network of Regional Big Data Innovation Hubs.