High Technology High School's
Technology Student Association
Learning To Live In A Technical World
HTHS TSA: An Overview
High Technology High School has been a chapter of TSA since 1991. It has undergone many leadership changes since then. Today, we have 170 members which comprises over 50% of the school's population. HTHS is a very active member of TSA, sending students to the State and National Conferences annually. We are proud to send students to become state officers as well, thereby continuing to spread the love of technological learning throughout NJ TSA.
HTHS TSA Chapter at the National Conference in 2006
HTHS TSA Chapter at the National Conference in 2010
HTHS TSA Chapter at the National Conference in 2012
HTHS TSA Chapter at the National Conference in 2015
HTHS TSA's VEX Team poses with their award-winning robot.
The VEX team excelled at the 2016 New Jersey State Championship.
The System Control Technology entry for the 2016 State Conference.
The VEX team in action at the 2016 NJ State Conference!
At the 2015 State Conference, HTHS placed in 22 out of 36 events and took home 24 trophies in total.
At the national level in Texas, HTHS competed in 30 events, had 17 finalists, and won 7 trophies.
At the 2016 State Conference, HTHS students won 23 trophies in 18 events.
However, trophies aside, each student is a winner because of the knowledge he or she gains through participating in TSA!
HTHS TSA: Meet the Officers
Click a picture for more information
member for:
4 years
responsibilities:
I organize meetings (both officer and chapter), plan competition placement, send updates to and communicate with the rest of the chapter, and generally try to continually improve HTHS TSA
competitions involved in:
Transportation Modeling, Digital Video Production
favorite part about TSA:
I love that above all, TSA is a community of people who are all passionate about STEM. We help each other learn, and we push each other to be better. Whenever I go to a conference, whether it's a State or National Conference, I am always struck by how everyone bonds over their shared interests.
why I do TSA:
There is always room to improve and grow, and TSA really fosters that growth by giving us as high school students the opportunity to pick a competition and field we are interested in, and then to become well-versed in that area of study or application. There are a multitude of competitions to choose from, and over the years, I have personally picked up knowledge in things like modeling, carving, 3D CAD, alternative energy, military vehicles, etc. through my competing in the Transportation Modeling competition.
I am thrilled to also give back to my school community by helping lead our chapter's TSA; it's an honor to spread the love of technology and curiosity that TSA inspires.
Vivian Qiang
Chapter President
member for:
4 years
responsibilities:
I keep order when the president is not available
competitions involved in:
Animatronics, Digital Video Production, TEAMS, VEX
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part about TSA is leading a group of students and seeing how well we do every year.
why I do TSA:
I do TSA for the fun and experience I get from completing the projects- I've learned how to efficiently work together and have also been exposed to new things such as Arduino. Traveling with friends is also a great experience. TSA has honestly been a great experience and I'd definitely do it again if I were to relive high school.
Brian Tao
Chapter Vice President
member for:
4 years
responsibilities:
I keep accurate records of funds and make sure financial obligations are met
competitions involved in:
Animatronics, Open Source Software Development, TEAMS, On Demand Video, Digital Video Production, Biotechnology Design, Chapter Team
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part of TSA is being able to work with friends, and then compete with our work on a state and national level (which then allows us to travel together and have fun as a team). Also, I enjoy meeting people from other places at the nationals conference (and trading pins with them).
why I do TSA:
It's a very educational experience that lets me fuse STEM and leadership.
Andrew Huang
Chapter Treasurer
member for:
3 years
responsibilities:
I am responsible for taking notes at meetings and documenting the decisions we have made, as well as ongoing issues.
competitions involved in:
Photographic Technology, Video Game Design, Biotechnology Design, TEAMS
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part about TSA is the TSA student community. It's really exciting to meet and interact with really talented students who are interested in such a variety of STEM topics.
why I do TSA:
I am passionate about technology and hope to pursue a future in the STEM field. I think TSA is a great way for me to explore new topics that I wouldn't have otherwise been exposed to.
Tiffany Zhao
Chapter Secretary
member for:
4 years
responsibilities:
I organize meetings of the officers and general chapter by keeping them orderly, civil, and time-efficient. I also work the President on managing meeting affairs and ensuring everything runs smoothly.
competitions involved in:
Animatronics, Open Source Software Development, Biotechnology Design, Manufacturing Prototype, TEAMS, Chapter Team
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part about TSA is working on the projects with others and exploring more about STEM in areas that I might never have had the chance to delve into without this opportunity.
why I do TSA:
It helps me explore my interests in STEM before I go off to college, and it supplements the STEM-focused learning at HTHS already. I also really like to lead others, and working as a TSA officer has been a fun, challenging, but rewarding experience.
Brandon May
Chapter Sergeant-At-Arms
member for:
4 years
responsibilities:
I keep records of meetings and schedules, and keep in touch with teams to make sure they are on track.
competitions involved in:
Biotechnology Design, VEX Robotics
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part of TSA is the lunch at TCNJ. After working hard the week before, it feels good to sit down with team members and just relax and eat.
The following is my strategy for getting the most out of TSA lunch:
- I like to starve myself the week before to increase my appetite. It is important to stay hydrated to avoid health complications.
- At the actual buffet, I start by sampling each stand. I get small portions of each and put them on the same plate to objectively compare their tastiness.
- After sampling, I move on to the actual eating. I will choose my top 5 dishes and eat a full plate of each.
- For drinks, I like to mix everything available in the soda machines to get a more holistic view.
why I do TSA:
It gives me a reason to explore different subjects in STEM that I am interested in. From robotics to dragster design, there are so many different interesting competitions available.
Alexander Yao
Chapter Reporter
member for:
3 years
responsibilities:
I manage state events (Leadership Conference, State Conference) and communication with the chapters, increasing NJTSA membership.
competitions involved in:
Biotechnology Design, Chapter Team
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part of TSA is bonding with people within our school (biggest club in HTHS!) and with people across the state, learning more about technology-related topics every year.
why I do TSA:
Iit's awesome to work with people towards a common goal (whether its as an officer or as a competitor/participant).
Priscilla Wong
State Vice President
member for:
5 years
responsibilities:
As a state officer, I help put together the State Conference and Leadership Conference, and increase membership and interaction within our state TSA. As Sergeant-at-Arms, I act as a doorkeeper and attend to outward affairs on the behalf of our organization.
competitions involved in:
middle school - Agricultural and Biotechnology Design, Go Green Manufacturing, Website Design; high school - Prepared Presentation, Essays on Technology
favorite part about TSA:
My favorite part of TSA is all the people you get to meet and work with within your chapter, state, and at the national level. I also love the leadership opportunities and experiences TSA offers on a daily basis.
why I do TSA:
I love STEM, CTE, and all of the learning experiences that come with being a TSA member. I joined TSA in 6th grade because I wanted to learn more about science and engineering, and I've stuck with it ever since.TSA has taught me how to be a better team player, a better leader, and a better learner.
Aparna Ragupathi
State Sergeant-At-Arms
Mr. Robert Dennis
Chapter Advisor
HTHS TSA at Competitions
New Jersey State Conference
The NJ TSA High School State Conference is held every spring at the College of New Jersey. Students choose which competitions they want to participate in at the beginning of the school year. A national competition guide is available to the students, which provides them with the guidelines necessary to complete their project. A state supplement modifies the rules specific to the State Conference. Events may be pre-conference (submitted at an earlier date than the actual conference) or on-site, and high school students all around the state come to TCNJ to compete. Winners of events qualify to compete at the National TSA Conference.
National Conference
The National TSA Conference is held at in the early summer at a different location each year. The 2016 conference will be in Nashville, Tennessee from 6/28 to 7/2 with a theme of “Building a Legacy.” Past locations include Texas, Washington DC, Florida, Maryland, and Colorado. The conference beings with a Conference Kick-Off where the participants are welcomed to the conference. Students can network and meet participants from other states in a pin-exchange. Later, at the TSA Meet and Greet, students can meet national officer candidates along with educational and industry representatives. Competitions will take place throughout the conference, and the awards ceremony at the end will recognize the top ten competitors in each event. The National Conference is a great learning experience and an excellent chance to meet people from all over the country; everyone goes home a winner!
VEX
The VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) is a robotics event for high schoolers. Teams build robots to complete an annual challenge. For the 2015-2016 season, the VRC challenge is Nothing But Net, in which teams try to score balls into low and high goals in 2-minute rounds. This was first year that the 5-member HTHS team, Team 765A, competed in the VRC challenge. They won the most prestigious award available, the Excellence Award, at their regional competition, where they were also tournament finalists. This qualified them for the state-level competition, where they reprised their success, winning the state-level Excellence Award and becoming tournament finalists there as well. These awards qualify them for the international level of competition, VEX Worlds, where they will be competing in mid-April. At the 2016 TSA State Conference, the HTHS VEX Team battled to become both the Robot Skills and Tournament Champion. The team will soon take on the TSA VEX challenge at the national conference. Hopes are high, as they've been on a roll since the state conference.
HTHS TSA Activities
Within the Chapter
- competition selection
- mid-year check-ins
- ensure that chapter members are continually working on their TSA projects
- chapter officer elections
- end-of-year pizza party
- routine activities consist of large chapter meetings for presentation of any updates or important material
- State and National Conferences
Within the Community
Unfortunately, the HTHS chapter does not have many community activities due to the difficulty in organizing such a large club (the largest club at HTHS!). However, we do plan on having fundraising events in the future.
We are hoping to put together a district-wide Relay For Life to raise money for the American Cancer Society - TSA's official charity.
Background Image: The HTHS TSA Chapter in Dallas, Texas following the awards ceremony at the 2015 National Conference.
TSA Creed: I believe that Technology Education holds an important place in my life in the technical world. I believe there is a need for the development of good attitudes concerning work, tools, materials, experimentation, and processes of industry. Guided by my teachers, artisans from industry, and my own initiative, I will strive to do my best in making my school, community, state, and nation better places in which to live. I will accept the responsibilities that are mine. I will accept the theories that are supported by proper evidence. I will explore on my own for safer, more effective methods of working and living. I will strive to develop a cooperative attitude and will exercise tact and respect for other individuals. Through the work of my hands and mind, I will express my ideas to the best of my ability. I will make it my goal to do better each day the task before me, and to be steadfast in my belief in my God, and my fellow Americans.