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Spalding has TSA state success

By KARA KOCZUR, Globe staff reporter
(Email Kara)

Granville – Spalding Catholic’s trip to the Technology Student Association (TSA) state competition April 27-28 in Altoona brought back unprecedented awards, including both the middle and high schools receiving first place for chapter champions.

“Two chapters from the same school – both taking first place – has never happened since Spalding Catholic started participating in TSA in 2000-2001,” said Kris Full, Spalding’s technology director.

This was the eighth year in a row that the middle school has earned the award, while it was the first time for the high school, after placing second for four consecutive years, said Full during a student assembly April 30 in the Spalding gymnasium to recognize the awards.

The middle school took home 23 1st-3rd place finishes, with the next closest school only receiving 11. The middle school had more than double the number of first places finishes than any other team. The high school had 16 1st-3rd place finishes. The next closest school only received nine.

TSA is a student organization devoted to the needs of students interested in technology. Its mission states that it “fosters personal growth, leadership, and opportunities in technology, innovation, design and engineering.”

Students integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts through different categories such as structural challenge, where they build bridges and roof trusses, remote control cars, CO2 powered cars, digital photography, desktop publishing, video challenge, prepared speeches on technology topics and more.

TSA is in 47 states. This is Spalding middle school’s ninth year in the program and the high school’s fifth year. All middle school students are required to participate, though it’s optional for the high school. Thirty five middle school students and 30 high school students made the trek to state this year.

“Originally it started off as a way to get students involved in other activities, like a TAG program, but to allow all students the possibility of being involved in a TAG program,” Full said. “They all have skills that are exceptional.”

The program was first integrated into the curriculum.

“They would work on their speeches during speech class and they would work on their plans during science class,” she added. “It’s kind of evolved now to an exploratory class period where they work on their categories.”

Rebecca Streff said her favorite part about TSA is going to state. The eighth grader was in three categories: chapter team or parliamentary procedure – where students learn to run meetings, chapter excellence and digital photography.

The first step in the digital photography category is to take a picture and write about the original photo, she said.

“Then you edit it using a computer program to do different effects to it, and then you write about how you edited it and how that made it better,” Streff said.

Streff received first place in digital photography and second place for chapter team.

She said she has learned many skills and lessons, and plans on being in TSA again next year.

“I’ve learned a lot about the different kinds of programs you can use to do the projects,” Streff said, “but I’ve also learned a lot about responsibility with having to get your projects done on time.”

Sophomore Jake Dagel was also re-elected for his second term as an Iowa TSA state officer. While his new position hasn’t been established yet, this past year he served as the vice president, where he helped establish a new Iowa TSA newsletter and Web site, a TSA school promotional program and came up with the initial idea to raise funds for the American Cancer Society at the state conference.

“I am glad to see that all of my hard work paid off and the members of this outstanding organization have given me the opportunity to expand my horizons and open many more new doors of experience, leadership and opportunity,” Dagel said.

While a lot of hard work went into getting the projects ready, Full said the results are rewarding.

“When it’s time for the awards ceremony and a student’s name gets called off who maybe doesn’t do as well academically, the smile on their face and the accomplishment that you can see in their smile is amazing,” she said. “It makes everything worth it.”