On the 16th and 17th of April, the Technology Student Association club participated in the 2026 PA-TSA State Conference. After weeks of hard work and preparation, students hauled their tech-based projects and themselves onto a bus and made their way to Seven Springs, where they would be one of 70 high schools competing. With over 1,200 students participating, the 46 NA representatives knew this was going to be a challenge. 

The TSA is an organization for high school students focused primarily on science, technology, engineering, and math. It functions as a group in which students engage in competitions, leadership training, and technical skill development.

For most club members, the state competition is not only a favorite annual event but also one of the most important.

“After qualifying at regionals, I was excited to attend the state competition and continue the tradition of competing each year,” said junior Allison Guttendorf. “I really enjoyed being able to showcase the projects I had worked hard on throughout the year,” she added. “Although there were a few last-minute issues that were frustrating, it was exciting to see everything come together for projects from not just our school, but also the other competitors.”

Students were encouraged to use their imaginations to create technologically functional projects while incorporating creative elements to impress the judges and advance the competition. 

There are many different events that take place at States, ranging from Architectural Design to Board Game Design. These events require students to complete models at school, so they can be displayed at the competition.

“I do Music Production and Structural Engineering,” said junior Gael Martínez Vichique. “I chose these events because of my interest in pursuing a civil engineering degree in college and exploring technology related to both buildings and music.”

Events like the Tech Bowl, Forensic Science, and Computer-Aided Design are held onsite at the competition and require no prior preparation. Other events, such as RC Car Offroad Racing, Battling Bots, and Drone Racing require on-site work as well as off-site and are very entertaining to spectators.

“Our team of six participated in Battling Bots this year,” commented junior Aiden Smith. “This was my first time at States, and I expected a high-pressure environment. However, I was surprised to find a great balance. I was able to stay competitive in my events while genuinely enjoying the experience with my friends.”

Although several events stand out, it is difficult to determine the most popular. With roughly 70 events to choose from, different events capture student interest each year. This year, however, two events in particular stole the spotlight. 

First, the Tech Bowl event requires teams of three students to take a written test on their knowledge of engineering. If they qualify, they compete head-to-head against other schools in a Jeopardy-style tournament.

The second well-liked event, Technological Problem Solving, involves teams of two students being given a task and a provision of building materials. Teams are given a set time limit to complete the task and meet all required criteria. The results are then based on the performance of their solution. 

After two tiring, tech-heavy days, Mr. Banks, the NASH TSA sponsor, was pleased with how his students performed.

“The competition went well,” he said. “As always with any competition, especially an engineering and problem-solving-based one like TSA, you can always do better. Students will learn from the experience and make changes for next year and do much better. This is the cycle of TSA.”