Advisor FAQs

Who is considered an advisor?

Any teacher, advisor, or other school personnel who is overseeing a student participating in this competition is considered an advisor. This activity can be part of a class or on an individual basis.

How are Advisors informed about competition activities?

When advisors create an account, they have access the Advisor Dashboard which provides the Advisor access to resources as well as student activity. The Advisor is able to see their students’ work and the status of their projects. Advisors are able to view their students’ specific entries and marketing designs. Communications from competition organizers will be via email using the address used to create the Advisor account.

How can I set up an Advisor account?

Create an advisor login (email and password) by choosing Advisor Login on top of the BIG Idea Competition home page. From there, choose your school from the drop down list. (If your school is not listed, contact kelly@growsd.org to request that it be added.) Once your account is created, your name and school will be listed and available for students to select when completing their entries. Advisors will not be able to change school affiliation once a student has chosen them as an advisor. Once advisors log in to the site, they will have access to the Advisor Dashboard.

Are students required to have an advisor?

Students are not required to have an advisor. For those students without an advisor, they should choose Independent Study in the Advisor field when students create their profile.

Is there a copy of the full entry application available for viewing?

Yes! There is a word document of the BIG Idea student entry form that can be used for preparation. We do require the content to be uploaded to the student’s online entry form in order to submit their idea. You can download the document here.

How do I get my students a free Canva account to create their Marketing Design?

Canva is a great tool that your students can use to create their Marketing Design. Canva for Education is available 100% free to primary and secondary (K-12) educators and institutions. To get access for your students, you will first need to create an account and get verified by Canva. Not only is Canva useful for students, but also for you as a teacher!  Teachers can access thousands of high-quality, educational templates for every subject, grade, and ability including worksheets, lesson plans, presentations, posters, reports, and more, all ready to customize.  Read more about Canva for Education here.

How to sign up:

If you sign up to Canva using an education domain on Canva’s allow list, you’ll instantly be upgraded to Canva for Education.

  1. Open the Canva for Education sign up page.
  2. Use your school’s, Department of Education’s, or Google-certified email domain if you have one. You can also sign up through Clever, Microsoft, or Google.
  3. Follow the sign up prompts.
  4. After signing up, select that you are a Teacher.
  5. Click Get verified now.
  6. Fill in your details, and attach proof of teaching certification and employment.
  7. Canva will email you your application result within 48 hours.

How to invite students:

After your Canva for Education application is approved, you can invite students to your class from the People tab on your Canva class page.

  • Canva for Education is safe for children of all ages as it’s COPPA and FERPA compliant. Students can create easily and safely. More details here.
  • Learn more about inviting students and teachers to your class.