Why Join TSA?
Perhaps the most important benefit of TSA membership is the inspiration and enthusiasm that students gain from receiving recognition for applying their knowledge. Demonstrating skills in a forum beyond school walls motivates students, especially when there is a large, like-minded audience of peers who support them. Other benefits include:
- Enhancing technological literacy and leadership skills
- Working on complex activities from start to finish
- Competing on local, state, and national levels
- Developing leadership skills
- Meeting and working with business and industry leaders
- Attending organized meetings
- Networking with students and teachers who have similar interests from all over the United States
- Contributing time and effort to a national service project
- Receiving national membership services, including the online TSA newsletter, School Scene
- Receiving recognition through TSA’s honor society, scholarships, and achievement programs
- Having a voice in a national organization that is helping to shape the future of technology education
Why Become a TSA Advisor?
Serving as a TSA chapter advisor at your school means more than just having a "technology club." It means your school is part of a national organization that promotes and recognizes excellence in technology students through applied Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) competitions and leadership activities.
Each year, TSA brings together leading technology educators to revise, review, and develop competitive events at the middle and high school levels. Every activity is correlated to STEM concepts, and the criteria for participating and judging the competition are detailed. These activities (approximately 30 at the middle school level and 30 at the high school level) can be implemented as competitions at the local, state, and national levels.
Once affiliated, your chapter receives the "Total TSA CD." This CD provides all the criteria for each competitive event, including the STEM correlations. The "Total TSA CD" also provides professionally developed Leadership Lessons, which are correlated to the competitive events, and Membership Materials, which contain the information you need for running and maintaining your chapter.
Many state TSA delegations host a yearly competition conference as well as a leadership conference. This gives student members the opportunity to test their technology skills, and many students then choose to compete at the national level. Membership in TSA is required to participate in any TSA-sanctioned event at any level – local, state, or national.
Whether working on an activity at the local level or competing at the state or national level, all students who use TSA materials benefit from being a TSA member.
Opportunities exist for chapter, state, and national leadership roles through elected offices and working committees. Networking among chapters is encouraged, and a mentor program is available for chapters that would like to be paired with an experienced chapter for the purpose of strengthening their chapter and having questions answered.
For most TSA advisors, TSA is not the only organization they are involved with. Many also coach, are class advisors, and work on other school activities. So why do they also advise a TSA chapter? Most would tell you that they do so because they feel TSA offers:
- Leadership Opportunities
- Teamwork
- Excellent Competitions
- A Sense of Belonging to a Group of Deserving Students
How Much Time Does it Take?
There is no question that being an advisor for a TSA chapter (or any other student activity) takes time and commitment. How much time is a function of several variables:
- Co-curricular or extra-curricular: TSA is designed so that it can be a part of a technology classroom or can be an after-school activity.
- Program of work: This is the basis of chapter activities for the year. The program of work is designed to accommodate the amount of time the advisor and members are willing to devote to the endeavor. Considerations for the program of work include competitions, fundraising (if needed), service projects, and social events.
- Organization: Organizing your technology program around TSA can actually save time. TSA is designed to be student-run through elected officers – this is often a great classroom management tool.