TSA students rock nationals

EAST COUNTY  — During the school year, a team of students at Haile Middle Schools spent nearly every spare minute working on technology designs and presentations.

But when school let out, students' efforts only intensified. Technology Student Association adviser Maureen Hudson created a technology camp, at which TSA students spent six hours a day honing their projects for national competition — and more hours and days as the national competition approached.

“They literally had not had any summer until the Fourth of July,” Hudson said, with a laugh. 

But, their efforts paid off. 

Point totals show Haile’s TSA program ranked first nationally at the National Technology Student Association Championships, held June 28 to July 2, in Dallas, taking home 18 Top 10 finishes, including four first-place trophies. 

“(Our goal) was to come home with as many trophies (as possible),” Hudson said, noting that only three of her 28 students had competed in nationals before. “We’re so thrilled to find out all their hard work paid off.”

Students from Nolan Middle School also captured top honors, just a few points behind, with 21 Top 10 finishes, including four first-place trophies.

“The energy and preparation of the Nolan TSA team was exceptional,” said Margi Nanney, an adviser for Nolan’s team. “They worked very hard all year and it paid huge dividends at the state and national levels. Manatee County should be proud to have a host of gifted technology students who are at the top in the state, nation and world levels.”

In a competition of more than 6,000 students from across the country, Manatee County students brought home 14 first-place finishes, 15 second-place finishes, 9 third-place finishes and 88 Top 10 finishes within the middle and high school divisions. In East County, Braden River Middle came home with four top five finishes. And in the high school division, Braden River earned 12 awards, ranking them third in the high school division, while Lakewood Ranch secured five, said Doug Wagner, director of adult, career and technical education for the school district.

For a complete list of awards East County students won, visit yourobserver.com.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].