Last summer, more than 50 students from the Academy for Science and Design attended the Technology Student Association National Competition, held in Dallas, Texas. Out of that number, six of them were members of the high school chapter; the rest were middle schoolers. I was one of the members of the high school TSA chapter, and this is a recount of our experiences.

Founded in 1978, TSA is the only student organization devoted exclusively to the needs of students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. TSA supports STEM education goals through more than 60 high school and middle school competitions, leadership activities and teamwork for students. Students compete in events based on principles and concepts learned through projects during the school year in STEM subjects.

When we first arrived at the hotel and conference center we would be staying at, there was an air of excitement buzzing throughout the atmosphere. Students from all over the country were here: Alabama, Ohio, California, North Dakota, Arkansas, and even students from Germany and Turkey. As students attending a STEM school, it can be a tad difficult to find students who are not our classmates who are interested in these fields. And here we are now, attending a technology conference!

On the first night of the conference, a mixer event was held. Every student who attended the conference received around 30 pins that represented our state: ours was a photo of the Old Man in the Mountain. We then entered the largest room I had ever seen – music was blaring, and students were bustling about trading pins with each other. It was exhilarating to see so many new people, all of whom were interested in the same things I am.

"Nationals were a really great experience, allowing me the chance to interact and compete with like-minded students from across the country," said senior Tabor French.

The rest of the conference
was a blur of competition. The high school TSA chapter competed in an incredible amount of competitions, including entries in fashion design, architectural renovation, debate on technology, prepared presentation, and biotechnology design. We had also entered competitions that required work throughout the conference, such as on-demand video. For this challenge, we were given two requirements: our video must contain the phrase "If I only had a brain" and a pair of red shoes. For the next two days, we wrote scripts, shot film and produced our final project.

"As a first-year advisor, I was so amazed at what our students accomplished," sixth-grade engineering and technology teacher and TSA advisor Rebecca LaCourse said. "Seeing all of the hours that they put into these projects and seeing the excitement as they moved onto semifinals and then became national finalist, their smiles and emotions are ones that I will never forget."

The final awards show went by quickly – French and Justin Yeung, members of ASD’s high school TSA chapter, placed in the national top 10 in their competition, Debating Tech Issues. The ASD middle school TSA chapter took home three trophies in their competitions, which today still proudly reside on the shelf of our TSA chapter advisor AnDrew French‘s classroom. The TSA National Competition, to me, is four days brimming with hilarious memories, hard work and rewarding experiences.

Fiona Doyle is a junior at the Academy for Science and Design in Nashua.