Perry students excel at state TSA competition in Altoona

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Perry High School and Perry Middle School sent 35 students to the annual Iowa State TSA competition in Altoona April 10-11, and many found places on the podium. Photo courtesy Perry Community School District

Longtime PHS TSA Instructor Darin Steva was honored at the annual awards ceremony by the TSA organization. Steva died Nov. 20, 2016. Photo courtesy Perry Community School District

The 2017 Technology Student Association (TSA) state conference was held in Altoona April 10-11, and Perry High School and Perry Middle School were well represented by students who worked hard all year on their projects.

In a thoughtful gesture to Perry students, the memory of longtime PHS TSA Instructor Darin Steva was honored at the awards ceremony by the TSA organization. A $100 donation at the visitation was made, and a laser-etched plaque was presented to the PHS team in honor of Steva’s 18 years as a TSA advisor and a member of the TSA Board of Directors.

PHS podium winners for 2017 were:

  • Gabe Ridnour, third place in 3-D computer-aided design and drafting
  • David Santacruz, first place in CO2 dragster design
  • Emilio Gonzalez and Brandon Ruiz, second place in technology problem solving
  • The team of Zak Olsen, Jacob Murillo and Jacob Quijas, second place in radio-controlled transportation
  • The team of T. J. Sheehy, Angel Escobar and Devin Patrick, first place in radio-controlled transportation

Other PHS competitors in TSA2 included Rylynn Gilmore, Timmy Twogood, Lauren Benjamin, Patience Galivan, Kaitlyn Barr,  Sierra Shore-Newton, Taylor Patrick, Taylor Danhauer, Sadee Whitfield, Brian Amaya, Noah Hegstrom and Jairo Murillo.

Taking the podium for the Perry Middle School were:

  • Kane Atkins, first place in career preparation
  • Jaylene Karolus and Sharitzy Romero, first place structural engineering
  • Andrew Galindo and Caden Steva, second place in problem solving
  • Jaylene Karolus and Sharitzy Romero, third place in problem solving
  • Kane Atkins, Konnor Eppert and Dalton Scott, third place in radio-controlled transportation

Other Perry Middle School competitors included Tanner Burgin, August Thielen, Orlando Gonzalez, Eliza Cunningham, Michelle Tobar, Cayden Widen, Candace Hoisington and Chance Hoisington.

Curt Cornelius is the PHS TSA instructor. Student advisors for this year were Stephen Brinton and Mark Eppert.

“Imagine an activity so captivating,” said Brinton, propane operations manager at
Quick Oil Co. and a TSA advisor, “that your students spend hours working on it after school for weeks at a time. That’s what happens when TSA members engage in TSA’s competitions. Only TSA members have the opportunity to compete at exciting state conferences and then at the annual national conference. Expert judging by technology educators and industry representatives inspires the best from participants. Members are rewarded not only with medals or trophies but also with memories of the camaraderie and the challenge of a national TSA conference. Students can work individually or as a team in such areas as agriculture and biotechnology, website design, dragster design, flight challenge, film technology, CAD with 3D modeling, desktop publishing, extemporaneous speaking, radio controlled transportation or scientific visualization.”

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