THEMES AND PROBLEMS
MIDDLE SCHOOL
When a decision is made by a member to compete in an event, it is imperative that the member thoroughly read and understand the rules, regulations, procedures, and evaluation criteria for the chosen event(s). National TSA is responsible for addressing mistakes or discrepancies in the competitive event guides and accomplishes this through competition updates on the TSA website. National TSA is not responsible for interpreting, advising, or suggesting ways that a member might develop a viable response or solution to a competitive event challenge.
- Audio Podcasting
- Biotechnology
- Career Prep
- Challenging Technology Issues
- Children's Stories
- Coding
- Construction Challenge
- Cybersecurity
Audio Podcasting
Theme: Breaking News from the Future
Students create an audio podcast reporting on a fictional future event, discovery, invention, or crisis as if it is happening live.
Biotechnology
Theme: Biotechnology in Food
Biotechnology can be used to improve crops, make food last longer, or create new types of food. Explain how biotechnology is used in food production and describe one way it could help farmers or consumers.
Career Prep
Choose a career from the Career Clusters Digital Technology category within one of the following subclusters:
- Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
- Information Technology (IT) Support & Services
- Network Systems & Cybersecurity
- Software Solutions
- Unmanned Vehicle Technology
Challenging Technology Issues
- The Use of AI to Write News Articles
- Requiring Coding as a Core Subject in Middle School
- Virtual Reality Replacing Physical Labs in High School Science Classes
- Medical Tourism as a Means of Accessible Treatment Options
- Robots in Elderly & Child Care
Children's Stories
Coding
To prepare for MS Coding competition, teams should have knowledge of concepts (software development, computer science, and coding topics) that will be on the Coding written test. They also should be familiar and comfortable with using the Scratch programming language.
Scratch is a free visual programming language available from the MIT Media Lab (https://scratch.mit.edu/download). An offline version of the Scratch tool should be downloaded and available on each team’s laptop.
Teams that advance to the semifinalist level, based on written test performance, will perform a challenge using the Scratch programming language. Semifinalist teams will receive the challenge on site and will have two hours to complete it. (PLEASE NOTE: Semifinalist teams MUST have a version of this program available for offline use, as there will be no Internet access available during the semifinalist level of the competition.)
Examples of the types of challenges students may be asked to complete can be found at this link: https://scratch.mit.edu/starter-projects
Construction Challenge
Theme: Your team has been tasked to design an urban community greenhouse and garden appropriate for a densely populated city neighborhood. The facility must fit entirely within a narrow 25 ft by 100 ft footprint and safely accommodate 20-30 community members simultaneously. The design must leverage at least two sustainable architectural or engineering practices. Describe the specific practices and design choices made to build the greenhouse within these constraints.
Cybersecurity
Problem Statement: FinStream Technologies is a fast-growing financial technology startup. During a routine audit, the security team notices anomalies in the network logs. A senior software engineer who recently submitted their two-week notice has been downloading unusually large volumes of proprietary source code and client financial data from the cloud repository to a local workstation and subsequently transferring it to an unencrypted external USB drive. Analyze the immediate actions required to secure the data, investigate the scope of the exfiltration, and recommend policy changes.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Animatronics
- Architectural Design
- Audio Podcasting
- Biotechnology Design
- Children’s Stories
- Data Science and Analytics
- Debating Technological Issues
- Digital Video Production
Animatronics
Design Problem: Turning classic tales into a mechanical marvel. Bring a story to life following the Animatronics rules.
Architectural Design
Audio Podcasting
Theme: “The Debate Desk”
Students create an audio podcast presenting multiple perspectives on a controversial topic in STEM, society, education, health, or the environment.
Biotechnology Design
Topic: Biosensors for Disease Detection
Biosensors use biological molecules, cells, or enzymes to detect specific chemicals or disease markers. These tools are increasingly important in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety. Present the science behind biosensors and demonstrate one use of biosensor technology in detecting or monitoring disease.
Children’s Stories
Theme: A graphic novel/comic book. Binding cannot be stapled.
Data Science and Analytics
Theme: Identify and use an AI-generated dataset related to Climate and Environmental Sustainability for analysis and research. Competitors may use an artificial intelligence tool to create the dataset, provide the resulting data file in a structured format (such as CSV, XLSX, or JSON), and cite the artificial intelligence tool, model (if available), and prompts or queries used to generate the dataset.
Debating Technological Issues
Theme: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
- Topic 1: AI diagnostic tools should be allowed to make medical decisions without final approval from a physician.
- Topic 2: The use of AI in healthcare will improve access to care more than it will increase medical bias.
- Topic 3: Patients should have the right to know when AI is involved in their diagnosis or treatment plan.
Digital Video Production
Theme: Create an infomercial with a product and in the style of the 1990s.