More than 240 middle and high school students and teachers from 29 schools in Kentucky represented the Commonwealth during the 2024 Technology Student Association (TSA) National Conference held in Orlando, Fla., and several brought home awards, including NKY students.
TSA is a national career and technical student organization that supports students engaged in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and is the only career and technical student organization aligned to engineering, aviation, media arts, and computer science career pathways in Kentucky. Students learn through competitive events, leadership opportunities, community service, and other activities.
“We are very proud of all of our competitors who attended the TSA National Conference and although not every student made it on stage, the STEM and employability skills they have gained will help them succeed in their future career,” said Mark Harrell, Kentucky Technology Student Association (KYTSA) corporate member.
During the national conference, students had opportunities to attend leadership and employability workshops and network with fellow students from across the nation and abroad.
During the four-day national conference, students from across the world competed in more than 70 STEM-related competitions, such as computer-aided design, coding, engineering design, forensic technology and technology bowl.
Kentucky Top 10 Finalist Awards:
•Architectural Design High School 3rd place – Lafayette Senior High School (Fayette County) Team No. 1
•Biotechnology Design High School 6th place – Campbell County High School Team No. 1
•CAD Architecture High School 8th place – Lafayette Senior High School (Fayette County) Samuel Maharjan
•Chapter Team Middle School 10th place – Eminence Middle School Team No. 1
•Children’s Stories Middle School 7th place – Belfry Middle School (Pike County) Team No. 1
•Coding High School – 3rd place: Campbell County High School Team No. 1
•Digital Video Production High School – 8th place: Frederick Douglass High School (Fayette County) Team No. 2
•Essays on Technology Middle School – 9th place: Southern Middle School (Fayette County) Isabella Ray
•Inventions and Innovations Middle School – 1st place: Belfry Middle School (Pike County) Team No. 1
•Manufacturing Prototype High School – 10th place: Bardstown High School Team No. 1
•Mechanical Engineering Middle School – 4th place: Lexington Traditional Magnet (Fayette County) Team No. 1
•Prepared Speech Middle School – 9th place: Eminence Middle School Jackson Reed
•Promotional Design High School – 6th place: Ignite Institute (Boone County) Shyanna Schuler
•Promotional Marketing Middle School – 5th place: Pikeville Junior High School (Pike Ind) Anikaa Sharma
•Promotional Marketing Middle School – 8th place: Belfry Middle School (Pike County) Jocelyn Smith
•Software Development High School – 7th place: Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Fayette County) Team No. 1
•Structural Design and Engineering High School – 10th place: Estill County Area Technology Center Team No. 1
•VEX Robotics Challenge High School – 8th place: Gateway Academy to Innovation & Technology (Christian County) Team No. 2
•Video Game Design High School – 10th place: Bryan Station High School (Fayette County) Team No. 1
“Kentucky’s demand for STEM professionals is growing, and TSA is diligently shaping a talent pool that ensures our state remains competitive and innovative in the global landscape,” said Kentucky Department of Education KYTSA State Advisor Amanda Boggs.
In addition to the competitive events awards, Lynn Schentrup from Bryan Station High School (Fayette County) was named Kentucky High School Chapter Advisor of the Year, and Cailee Marcum from Pikeville Junior High School (Pikeville Independent) was named Kentucky Middle School Chapter Advisor of the Year.
KYTSA raised $2,000 for the National Service Project with the American Cancer Society and received the Purple Award recognition during the TSA National Conference. Through involvement in TSA’s National Service Project, chapters and states can be integral in helping to support the mission of the American Cancer Society: to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research and patient support; to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, find, treat and survive cancer.
Beth Hargis, associate commissioner in the Kentucky Department of Education Office of Career and Technical Education, congratulated all of the Kentucky students who participated in this year’s TSA National Conference.
“We are extremely proud that Kentucky placed in the top 10 for 19 of the events,” she said. “Best wishes for continued success to all our TSA advisors and students.”
TSA’s membership includes more than 300,000 middle and high school students in approximately 2,400 schools across 48 states and several countries. It is open to students enrolled in or participating in STEM middle and high school courses.
“Providing students the opportunity to apply the skills gained in their classrooms and develop leadership skills is at the heart of TSA’s goals,” said KYTSA State Coordinator Andy Stephenson. “It is exciting to see the growth in the STEM fields by TSA students and witness their excitement for career paths in these fields, fueled by the students’ experiences in TSA activity and competition.”
Kentucky Teacher
