TSA
Competitions
Different types
 On-Site
 The competition will take place AT The College of
New Jersey OR students PRESENT their findings
 Pre-Conference
 The competition is only JUDGED at The College of
New Jersey- the majority of the work is done at
school and brought to the competition
Participation
 Students can only participate in ONE on site
event
 Potential to participate in multiple if competitions
are pre-conference
Agriculture and Biotechnology
 Teams of 2 members
 Can have up to 3 different teams (6 students)
 Challenge: Choose a challenging contemporary
issue related to agriculture and biotechnology, and
demonstrate understanding of the issue through
research and effective presentation
 Pre-Conference
 Students will research the topic, prepare a binder of
information and a display board and bring it to the
competition
Career Prep
 Individual competition
 Can have 2 participants
 Pre-Conference
 Challenge: Design and produce a cover letter and
a chronological or skills resume based on research
of a selected technology-related career from this
list:
 Nuclear Engineer
 Database administrator
 Information systems security professional
 Software developer
Challenging Technology Issues
 Two teams
 2 students per team (4 students)
 On-site
 Challenge: Prepare and deliver a debate-style
presentation explaining opposing views of a
current technology issue from a choice of three
provided at the competition
Communication Challenge
 One student
 Pre-conference
 Design and produce:
 Trifold brochure that promotes chapter
 Letterhead with sponsor letter
 Postcard promoting TSA’s national service project
Community Service Video
 One team of students
 Pre-conference
 Plan and implement one or more fundraisers for
the American Cancer Society
 Create and submit a finished video that depicts
the community service
 No more than 2.5 minutes
Digital Photography
 Individual competition
 2 individual participants
 Pre-Conference
 Challenge: Produce an album and a 8” by 10”
collage of digital photographs consisting of color
or black and white digital photographs that
present a theme in journalistic style.
 Theme: Our Town
Energy Source
 One team of 2-3 students
 Pre-conference
 Conduct research on either renewable sources,
nuclear energy, or fossil fuels and create:
 Tri-fold brochure about the source
 A promotional video that outlines the benefits of
that source
Environmental Focus
 2 students per team
 1 team may participate
 On-Site
 Challenge: Participants are to identify and research a
specific environmental problem or issue that has
been influenced by advancements in technology.
They will gather information, analyze data, develop
strategies and submit conclusion relative to the
specific problem or issue. Students will present their
findings in the form of a multimedia presentation
Essays On Technology
 Individual competition
 3 individuals may participate
 On Site
 Thoroughly research the announced topic and use the knowledge
and the resources acquired to write a report on site that effectively
addresses one of the selected subtopics
 Topic: Trends in Social Networking
 Subtopics:
 Teenagers/Young Adults
 Businesses/Corporations
 Future Potential of Social Networking
 You can prepare a handwritten 3x5 in note card for each subject
to bring to the competition
Inventions and Innovations
 5 members per team
 1 team per chapter
 On-Site
 Investigate and determine the need for an invention
or innovation of a device, system or process.
Brainstorm possible solutions and determine the best
idea for the invention or innovation. Team members
will: 1)create a prototype or model 2) develop a
stand alone multimedia presentation and 3)
document work completed as they prepare to
promote and demonstrate their idea
Leadership Strategies
 On Site
 One team
 Three students per team
 Demonstrate leadership and team skills by
responding to a specific leadership challenge
that officers of a TSA chapter might encounter.
Teams get the problem and have one hour to
create a written action plan
Medical Technology Issues
 On Site
 Teams of 2
 Participants conduct research on a
contemporary medical technology issue of their
choosing, document their research, and create
a display. The information may include studentperformed research or a re-creation or
simulation of research performed by the
scientific community. If appropriate, a model or
prototype depicting some aspect of the issue
may be included in the display.
Prepared Speech
 Individual competition
 One student may participate
 On-Site
 Develop and deliver a speech on the topic:
Designing Your Dreams
 Must be less between 3-5 minutes
Problem Solving
 2 students per team
 1 team per chapter
 Work effectively as a team to manipulate and
process materials using only tools designated. An
objective measurement is used to determine the
best solution given to the problem.
 Given a problem with a bag of materials, 2 hours
to create a solution
STEM Animation
 One team of three students
 Pre-Conference
 Allows participants to develop a scientific and/or
technical visualization focusing on one (1) or more of
the following areas: science, technology,
engineering, and/ or mathematics.
 May use computer graphic tools and design
processes to communicate, inform, analyze and/or
illustrate a topic, idea, subject, or concept. Sound
may accompany the graphic images.
Structural Model
 2 members on a team
 Only 1 team may participate
 On-site
 Challenge: Research, model, and test a
structure designed to hold the greatest load.
Each team is given a selected span (12 inches)
to be tested and must plan and then construct a
model using the supplied materials within 1.5
hours. The model is submitted for destructive
testing
Tech Bowl
 3 students per team
 1 team per chapter
 On-site
 First written test on technology topics, then quiz
bowl type “game show” with similar questions
Technical Design
 Pre-conference
 Team of 2 students
 Given a design brief online that includes a
problem statement and specific criteria and
constraints, students have two days to design a
solution
 Challenge not given until February-March
Water Infrastructure
 One team of 2-3 students
 On-Site
 Theme: The Impact of Green Infrastructures on
Communities
 Participants conduct research on the posted
water infrastructure topic, document their
research, and develop a multimedia
presentation around the topic.
The End
Any Questions?