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COMPETITIONS

TSA competitions provide an opportunity for students to take learning beyond the classroom and explore topics of career interest. TSA provides rules and guidelines, that can be integrated into your STEM curriculum, for more than 75 middle school and high school competitions.  
Four boys working on a wood-construction project together.

High School

In the High School Competitive Events Guide for the 2025 and 2026 National TSA Conferences, TSA offers 40 high school competitions. The eligibility chart provides the eligibility requirements for each competition and is applicable to the national TSA conference. (State delegations may choose to alter their events for local conferences. Click on your state to preview the requirements pertaining to your regional and/or state conferences.)

Chapter Team

Participants take a parliamentary procedure test to qualify for the semifinal round of competition. Semifinalists conduct an opening ceremony, items of business, parliamentary actions, and a closing ceremony.

Extemporaneous Speech

Participants select a technology-related or TSA topic from among three topic cards and prepare and give a three-to-five-minute speech that communicates their knowledge of the chosen topic. The quality of the speech determines advancement to the semifinalist level of competition, for which an identical competition procedure is followed to determine finalists.

Future Technology Teacher

Participants research a developing technology, prepare a video showing an application of the technology in the classroom, and create a lesson plan/activity that features the application and connects to the Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (STEL), as well as STEM initiatives and integration. Semifinalists demonstrate the lesson plan and answer questions about their presentation.

Prepared Presentation

Participants deliver a three-to-five-minute oral presentation related to the current national TSA conference theme. Both semifinalists and finalists are determined based on the quality of the presentation and the appropriate use and content of the accompanying required slide deck.

Technology Bowl

Participants demonstrate their knowledge of TSA and concepts addressed in technology content standards by completing an objective test. Semifinalist teams participate in a question/response, head-to-head, team competition.

Middle School

In the Middle School Competitive Events Guide for the 2024 and 2025 National TSA Conferences, TSA offers 36 middle school competitions. The eligibility chart provides the eligibility requirements for each competition and is applicable to the national TSA conference. (State delegations may choose to alter their events for local conferences. Click on your state to preview the requirements pertaining to your regional and/or state conferences.)

Biotechnology

To address the annual theme, participants select a contemporary biotechnology issue and demonstrate understanding of the topic through their documented research and an original display. Semifinalists participate in an interview.

Career Prep

Based on the annual theme, participants conduct research on a technology-related career, prepare a letter of introduction to a potential employer, and develop a job-specific resume. Semifinalists participate in a mock job interview.

Challenging Technology Issues

Following the onsite random selection of a technology topic from a group of pre-conference posted topics, participants work to prepare for and deliver a debate-style presentation, in which they explain opposing views of the selected topic.

Chapter Team

Participants take a parliamentary procedure test to qualify for the semifinal round of competition. Semifinalists conduct an opening ceremony, items of business, parliamentary actions, and a closing ceremony.

Children’s Stories

Participants create an illustrated children’s story based on the annual theme. The entry product is a physical storybook of artistic, instructional, and social value. Semifinalists read their story aloud and participate in an interview.

Coding

To qualify for the semifinal round of competition, participants take a test that concentrates on computer science and coding. Semifinalists demonstrate their programming knowledge by developing a solution to an onsite coding challenge.

National TSA Conference Competition Information

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