Reston, VA (PRWEB) June 23, 2014
A record number of Technology Student Association (TSA) members are expected to attend the 2014 national TSA conference in the Washington, D.C. area, with more than 6,500 students and educators registered to participate. It takes place June 27 through July 1 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland. The conference theme is “The Spirit of Innovation.”
Middle and high school student members will take part in more than 60 competitive events based on principles and concepts learned through projects during the school year in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects.
High school and middle school students, guided by their chapter advisors (teachers), prepare throughout the school year to compete with their peers in STEM events such as Agriculture and Biotechnology, CAD, Construction Renovation, Video Game Design, Dragster Design, Engineering Design, Flight Endurance, Music Production, and Structural Engineering. Many attendees will also participate in leadership sessions designed to develop and enhance leadership skills through customized sessions based on The Student Leadership Challenge – The Five Practices for Exemplary Leaders. Other special interest sessions will be presented by industry representatives and educators.
TSA partners with the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) to stage Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) at the national level. This will mark the first year that students participate in the national JSS competition at the conference. More than 80 teams of 5th through 8th grade students are expected to participate. Throughout the school year, these contestants have been researching, designing, and building solar cars to bring to the conference to race against peers at the national level.
For the second consecutive year, TSA has partnered with the Verizon Foundation to administer the Verizon Innovative App Challenge. During this school year, teams of students developed mobile applications that addressed a problem in their communities or schools. The top eight winning App Challenge teams from across the nation were announced in February. Each of the national winners will present their mobile apps at the conference, including an all-female middle school team from Los Fresnos, Texas, who recently exhibited in the White House Science Fair.
Additionally, TSA will also host the national competition of TEAMS: Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science at the conference. TEAMS offers students a chance to work collaboratively to problem solve real-world engineering challenges. The 2014 TEAMS theme is “Engineering Tomorrow’s Cities,” and the competition will include an on-site oral and problem-solving component. Nearly 500 students are expected to participate in this year’s TEAMS national championship.
The conference will open with a “Parade of State Flags” ceremony, followed by the keynote address by Dr. Jimmie L. Davis, president of STEMflorida, Inc., at 8 a.m. on June 28.
TSA also partners with The American Cancer Society (ACS) for its national service project. Conference attendees will be recognized for their ACS fundraising efforts throughout the year as part of the highly anticipated awards ceremony at the conference’s conclusion on July 1.
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About the Technology Student Association (TSA):
TSA is a national organization for students engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Open to young people enrolled in or who have completed technology education courses, TSA’s membership includes more than 200,000 middle and high school students in 2,000 schools spanning 48 states. TSA partners with universities and other organizations to promote a variety of STEM competitions and opportunities for students and teachers. TSA is supported by educators, parents, and business leaders who believe in the need for a technologically literate society. From engineers to business managers, our alumni credit TSA with a positive influence in their lives. Visit the Technology Student Association website for more information.