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Welcome to the Colorado TSA News and Updates Page. Here on this page, we will have the latest news and information you may find useful in managing your chapter, including contest information and updates, fundraising ideas, scholarship notices, and other opportunities as they arise. Please bookmark this page and refer to it periodically throughout the school year.

 

 

 

CHEROKEE TRAIL SENIOR PASSES SOLIDWORKS EXPERT EXAM

Posted 5/23/2013

Chris Dosen

Like many of students, Chris Dosen, a senior at Cherokee Trail High School, has been taking many advanced tests in the last few weeks leading up to graduation. However, among the tests Dosen took was a very special industry certification -- one that only a handful of people in the world have passed: The Certified Solidworks Expert (CSWE) exam. SolidWorks is a 3D mechanical computer-aided design software used by engineers and designers worldwide.

In order to be able to take the exam, Dosen had to pass five other certification exams first: Certified Solidworks Associate, Certified Solidworks Professional Core, Certified Solidworks Professional - Surfacing, Certified Solidworks Professional - Sheet Metal, and Certified Solidworks Professional  - Weldments.

According to Ben Nuebel, one of the two Pre-Engineering & Technology Education teachers at Cherokee Trail High School, "the SolidWorks Education Senior Sales Manager for the Western Americas has never heard of any other high school student attempting to take the Certified Solidworks Expert (CSWE) exam. What that means, then, is that Chris is very likely the very first high school student in the world to take this test."

And take it he did. In fact, he passed the exam with a perfect score.

"Keep in mind," Nuebel said, "that the CSWE exam is meant to be the most challenging exam SolidWorks offers. To put that in prospective, there are only 1,261 people in the entire world who have earned this this professional certification. From what I understand, most of these individuals are senior engineers and industry trainers."

Next year, Chris will be attending California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, CA, where he will study mathematics.

Congratulations Chris for your outstanding performance and good luck in college next year!

 

TSA POSTS FACEBOOK PAGE FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Posted 3/25/2013

TSA has created a Facebook event page for the 2013 national TSA conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida. Click here to go to the page.

Be sure to "join" to show that you are attending the conference.  This event page is a great way to show your support for the conference and see others who plan on attending.  You can also view relevant information about the conference and post questions or comments.   Stay in touch with the latest postings by "joining" today!

 

TEAMS Logo CSU

COLORADO'S FIRST TEAMS COMPETITION AT CSU IS A BIG SUCCESS!

Posted 3/132013

On March 7,. the first-ever Colorado TEAMS competition was held at Colorado State University. Sponsored by the College of Engineering at Colorado State University, this day-long competition had students go head-to-head in a test of their knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in relation to issues facing our global society.

After battling it out in a tough competition all day, the students were treated to lunch, presentations by CSU Staff and Students, and were afforded the opportunity to explore the college campus. In attendance were students from Rock Canyon High School and Liberty Common High School.

Here's a link to photos of the event.

For more information on the TEAMS event and to learn how to participate next year, please contact Dr. Michael deMiranda at CSU either by email or at (970) 491-5805. For more information on TEAMS at the national level, here is a link to the national website.

 

COLORADO TSA STATE CONFERENCE RESULTS

Posted 3/11/2013

The results of the 2013 Colorado TSA State Conference can be found here.

Photos from the conference can be seen here. You may have to create an account on Snapfish to view the photos, but that's free! And if you have photos to share, please send them on to Tony Raymond at tony.raymond@cccs.edu.

Certificates of Participation can be downloaded here.

 

STEM LAUNCH SCHOOL FEATURED ON 9NEWS

Posted 1/16/2013

Recently, the STEM Launch School in Thornton was featured on 9News for the work they are doing in the areas of science, techology, engineering and mathematics. Below is the start of the story. To read the entire text and see the video, please follow the link below.

When a brand new school was starting up with a science and technology focus, 5th Grader Imagin Coronado was intrigued. She wanted more than what she had been getting at her previous school.

"People are nice here and at my old school, we didn't have a chance to use computer time and have lockers," said Imagin.

She attends the new STEM Launch school. This kindergarten through 8th grade program is part of a wider effort to get more younger kids into the field of science, technology, engineering, and math.... click here to read the whole story.

 

TEAMS Logo CSU

TEAMS COMPETITION COMES TO CSU!

Posted 12/7/12

This past year, National TSA acquired TEAMS(Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science). TEAMS is a one-day competition for students in middle and high school that allows them to apply their knowledge of skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to issues facing our global society. Although TEAMS has been around a while, this is the first year it will be here in Colorado.

To help kick off the TEAMS experience for students, the College of Engineering at Colorado State University is hosting Colorado's first competition on March 7, 2013. Although TEAMS nationally is open to middle school students, this particular event is only for high school students, and any high school may participate – even if they don’t have a TSA chapter. Eventually, TEAMS will be expanded in the state to include middle school students.

You are encouraged to consider taking your TSA teams to this event. It’s a wonderful opportunity for your students to broaden their horizons as well as explore the wonderful College of Engineering at Colorado State University.

A letter of invitation to the event is here, and a flyer about the event can be found here.

For more information on the TEAMS event in March, please contact Dr. Michael deMiranda at CSU either by email or at (970) 491-5805. For more information on TEAMS at the national level, here is a link to the national website.

 

2013 STATE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Posted 11/19/2012

The registration website for the 2013 Colorado TSA State Conference is now open! You can access the registration website here.

If you need help registering, here is a 15-minute video to walk you through the registration process.

Registration closes January 18. ALL registrations for the conference must be complete at that time. All conference attendees must register (including students, advisors and chaperones). Elementary students who are participating in the Creativity Challenges or as part of the Crash Test or Fore! events are required to register, but there is no fee for elementary students. Parents who are attending the conference on Saturday only (as part of the Creativity Challenges, or to attend the awards ceremony) do not need to register.

For more information, or assistance on the registration process, please feel free to contact Tony Raymond, COTSA State Advisor, at (720) 858-2794 or at tony.raymond@cccs.edu.

 

COTSA STATE OFFICER NEWSLETTER

Posted 11/19/2012

Check out the latest newsletter from your Colorado TSA State Officers here!

 

TSA SCHOOL SCENE AVAILABLE ONLINE

Posted 10/4/2012

Check out the latest School Scene from the National TSA Officers! You can view it here!

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND SAVE THE DATE! 2012 FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE SET FOR DECEMBER 14, 2012!

Posted 9/26/2012 - Updated 10/4/2012

Mark your calendars and plan on attending the 2012 Fall Leadership Conference on December 14, 2012!

We've finally nailed down the dates and the contracts are finally signed! It's been a long road, but due to the NHL lockout which happened in mid-September, we were unable to guarantee an Avalanche game for our conference participants. However, we were fortunate enough to schedule our conference around a Nuggets game in December!

This year, we have a lot in store! We listened to all of the comments from last year's conference and have broken the large groups into more age-appropriate sections:

In addition, participants will receive EXTENDED tours of Pepsi Center where they will learn the ins and outs of how the arena functions and how it transforms from an ice hockey rink, to basketball court to rock concert and back all within a matter of a few hours!

PLUS -- This year, instead of ice time, we will be able to go onto the Nuggets' floor and shoot some hoops before the game!

All conference participants will receive a NUGGETS OF LEADERSHIP conference t-shirt, plus lunch and a ticket to the Nuggets' game!

For more information, you can download the FAQ here.

Download the registration packet here.

 

2013 COTSA CALL TO CONFERENCE/STATE COMPETITIVE EVENTS GUIDE

Posted 9/13/2012

The 2012-2013 Colorado TSA Call to Conference and State Competitive Events Guide is now available for downloading! Click here to download your copy!

This document contains:

Dates and Deadlines: The guide also has a handy dates and deadlines checklist. Make sure you follow the checklist. We will need to be extremely strict with payment deadlines this year; we are switching accounting systems/procedures and late payments are not acceptable. Please make sure you have your payments for the state conference in ON TIME.

AND...at the top of this page we have countdown clocks for the time remaining until the Fall Leadership Conference, the State Conference and the National Conference!

 

GIANT JENGA TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO THE STATE CONFERENCE!

Posted 9/13/2012

It's back and it's better than ever! The Annual Giant Jenga Tournament! This year, however, in order to participate, your team must sign up on the State Conference website (just like you would for any other event). The Jenga Tournament does NOT count toward Chapter of the Year honors, but the winners of the tournament will get to take home the traveling Jenga Tournament Trophy!

And if you didn't contribute blocks to the Giant Jenga Tournament last year, it's still not too late! Click here for information on how you can contribute Jenga blocks to the tournament through the Giant Jenga Block Event and how the Tournament works.

For more information, please contact Tony Raymond, COTSA State Advisor, at tony.raymond@cccs.edu, or a 720-858-2794.

 

SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 21-23, 2013 - COTSA STATE CONFERENCE

Posted 8/3/2012

Mark your calendars now for the 2013 Colorado TSA State Leadership Exposition on FEBRUARY 21-23, 2013 at the Denver Tech Center Marriott, 4900 S. Syracuse, in Denver!

 

COLORADO STUDENTS EXCEL AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NASHVILLE

Posted 8/3/2012

Congratulations to all the members of Colorado TSA on an outstanding performance at the 2012 National TSA Conference in Nashville, TN, this past June!

The following are the finalists/medalists for Colorado:

MIDDLE SCHOOL:

 

HIGH SCHOOL:

 

2012 COTSA STATE CONFERENCE

The official final results are now available. Click here to download a PDF of the awards.

For an explanation of the issue of the scoring/reporting errors which occurred at the State Conference, please click here.

 

2012 COTSA STATE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Posted 11/22/2011

It's that time of year! It's time to get your chapter registered to participate in the 2012 Colorado TSA State Conference! The State Conference is only a few weeks away and with the holiday season upon us, it'll be here before you know it. The registration website is now open and you may begin registering your students now. Click here to go to the registration website.


2012 STATE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 6, 2012!

Don't forget - you need to have your chapter affiliated with National TSA before you can participate in the Colorado State Conference. If you have not yet affiliated your chapter, please visit the National TSA website by clicking here and register your chapter. The registration process is very easy and can be done with a few simple mouse clicks.

Whether you are a new advisor or an experienced one, the registration process should only take you a few moments. If you are unfamiliar with the process or need a refresher, a 15-minute video has been prepared to walk you through the registration process. Click here to watch the video or watch it on YouTube by clicking here.

All the conference registration information, including costs, hotel reservations, and related conference forms can be found in the Call to Conference/Competitive Events guide which can be downloaded here.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Colorado TSA State Conference!

 

2011 FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Posted 12/9/2011 - UPDATED 12/13/2011

On December 2, 2011, nearly 300 students, advisors and administrators ranging from middle school through postsecondary descended on Pepsi Center in an Avalanche of Leadership when SkillsUSA Colorado and the Colorado Technology Student Association hosted their annual joint Fall Leadership Conference. Joining students from SkillsUSA and TSA this year were students and advisors who are in the process of forming the Colorado Creative Careers Festival – the career and technical student organization (CTSO) for those students in the creative careers industry.

Utilizing the Student Leadership Challenge model, the conference focused on setting good examples for others, looking ahead to the future, taking initiative to change the status quo, building teamwork and trust, and encouraging others to succeed – the five elements common when leaders are able to make extraordinary things happen.

After the full-day training was complete, the conference participants were given personalized tours of Pepsi Center – where they got to see the Nuggets’ practice court, the visiting basketball team’s locker room (including the locker Michael Jordan used to use!), and the broadcast booths. Then it was on to the ice with the Avalanche mascot, Bernie to play a little broomball! The day’s events were capped off with an evening Colorado Avalanche game!

“The conference was a huge success,“ said Tony Raymond, the SkillsUSA/TSA state advisor for Colorado. “This year, we had a 33% increase in attendance. It just shows that these students are ready and willing to step into the roles of leadership in their schools and community and their advisors are eager to provide them opportunities to do just that. Through the leadership conference, we bring together the talents of SkillsUSA, TSA and now the Creative Careers and provide the students the tools they need to be successful leaders.”

Check out photos from the conference on our Facebook page. You do not need to join Facebook in order to view the photos.

The conference was also covered in the December 13 issue of CTE Trends which you can access here!  If you would prefer a downloadable PDF version, click here.

 

GIANT JENGA BLOCK EVENT/GIANT JENGA TOURNAMENT

Posted 11/30/2011

The Colorado TSA State Officers want to remind you to participate in the Giant Jenga Block Event and the Giant Jenga Tournament this year at the 2012 Colorado TSA State Conference!

This year at the 2012 TSA State Conference, the State Officer team will host the First Annual Giant Jenga Tournament! All State Conference attendees are encouraged to participate in the tournament which will feature giant Jenga blocks! Participants can sign up at the conference in teams of up to four members – all of which must be from the same school – and will compete for the honor of being named the 2012 Colorado TSA Giant Jenga champs! The event is FREE and will be held during the social on February 10, 2012.

WHAT IS THE BLOCK EVENT?

A unique feature of the tournament will be the Giant Jenga sets used. The State Officer team has requested that EVERY Colorado TSA chapter donate at least nine (9) decorated game blocks to make the Giant Jenga sets! Nine blocks can be made from a single 8-foot 2”x4”. Can a chapter submit more than nine blocks? ABSOLUTELY! The State Officers intend to have several Giant Jenga sets to use in the tournament at the state conference – so the more blocks we have the better!

Each of the blocks should be decorated with your school’s colors, mascot, logo, chapter’s team members’ names, etc. The decoration is up to you – but the decorations should be specific to your chapter! The specific instructions on creating the Jenga blocks can be found here. Once you get your blocks done, please contact the COTSA State Advisor, Mr. Tony Raymond and he will make arrangements to come pick up the blocks.

The first chapter to submit blocks was the TSA Chapter at Mountain View High School! Here are some pictures of their students working to make the blocks:

Photos above: Mountain View High School's TSA chapter work to prepare their Jenga blocks.

Mountain View High School's TSA chapter President Michael Bloom (far left), their Reporter/Secretary Aryn Lacy, (second from left), and their Advisor, Tom Frayer (second from right) present their laser-engraved Jenga blocks to TSA State Advisor, Tony Raymond (far right).

 

Even if you don’t plan on attending the State Conference in February, the State Officer Team still wants you to participate in the event by donating blocks!

According to the State Officer team, “The purpose of having chapters contribute personalized blocks signifies that while each of our TSA chapters may look slightly different, together, we are very similar and all fit together to build a strong organization. Our goal is to have every single Colorado TSA chapter submit blocks for this special event!”

For more information, please download the flyer here and get your blocks into the tournament!

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE TIPS

Posted 11/8/2011

Here are some tips for your chapter with regard to Community Service. These are courtesy of Focus Training!

Community service is an important part of your CTSO. Whether you are planning a state, regional, or local service project here are some suggestions to consider:

Planning
Choosing the right community service targetfor your organization is a critical first step.

Promote
In order to ensure your community service efforts are as successful as possible, it is imperative to promote your project. With the influx of social media outlets, it is easier to reach more people than ever before. And it's free! Next time you're planning a community service project try these promotional ideas in addition to traditional methods.

Producing results
When planning your community service project you also want to think about the results. A successful community service project will not only benefit your organization but also your school and community. These results could target the total number of hours volunteered for the entire organization, total number of cans collected, even the amount of money raised. Create certain goals and review those goals after completing a service project. 

 

CALL TO CONFERENCE / STATE COMPETITIVE EVENTS GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE!

Posted 10/4/2011

The 2011-2012 Colorado TSA State Call to Conference and State Competitive Events Guide is now available by clicking here.

Advisors and students are encouraged to carefully read through the document as several items have changed, including event rules, regulations, check-in times and deadlines, as well as uniform guidelines for both state and national conferences. Some events have an early submission deadline for the state conference (e.g., video game design and webmaster/web design).

Included in the Competitive Events Guide is a schedule and hotel map so students and advisors can plan which events the students will participate in.

Also, please note the change in conference registration times; for the 2012 Conference, there will be no registration after the opening session, and competitive event check-in ends BEFORE the opening session.

See the guide for complete conference details.

 

ATTENTION ADVISORS! CALL FOR SPECIAL INTEREST SESSION PRESENTERS

Posted 10/3/2011

This year, at the 2012 Colorado TSA State Conference, there will be several interest sessions presented for both advisors and students throughout the day. We encourage advisors to present one of these 50-minute sessions. Share your knowledge of a specific event with students or share tips and tricks with your fellow advisors! Click here to sign up to present a special interest session!

 

GIANT JENGA BLOCK EVENT

Posted 9/19/2011

This year’s COTSA State Officer team would like to invite every COTSA chapter to participate in the Great Jenga Block Event and the Giant Jenga Tournament at this year’s state conference!

What’s THAT? Well, as an activity at the social during this year’s State Conference in February, the State Officer team will be hosting the First Annual Giant Jenga Tournament – a fun activity for all State Conference participants where the goal is to build the tallest tower possible using GIANT Jenga blocks! But they want and need the help of EVERY COTSA Colorado chapter in order to make the event a success!

Every COTSA Chapter is asked to donate 9 Giant Jenga blocks (all of which can be made from a single 8' 2x4). The blocks should be decorated with the chapter's school colors/mascots/logos/team members names - whatever is unique to the chapter. The state officers will come pick up the blocks once they have been decorated and assemble the sets for use at the state conference tournament.

At the state conference, students from the same school will sign up at the state conference to play in teams of at least four members . A bracketed tournament will be held to determine who the top Giant Jenga players are! The winning team will earn a spot for their names on a traveling trophy!

To see how you and your chapter can participate in this event, please download the flyer on the Giant Jenga Block Event and Giant Jenga Tournament.

The Colorado TSA State Officer team looks forward to your participation! If you have any questions, please contact Tony Raymond, the Colorado TSA state advisor.

 

FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE REGISTRATION PACKETS NOW AVAILABLE

Posted 9/14/2011

The registration packets for the 2011 Fall Leadership Conference are now available! Click here to download the packet.

We have quite the conference in store for advisors and students. Please feel free to extend the invitation to attend to other organizations within your school you feel may benefit from a leadership conference – Student Council, National Honor Society, etc. But remember – space is limited, so you’ll want to sign up early.

Extra tickets for the Avalanche game itself can be purchased for family and friends who want to join you after the leadership conference is complete to cheer on the Avs…so please share this with them so they can get the discounted rate for tickets.

The deadline for registration is November 11, 2011.

As a reminder to advisors, this year, a special advisor training track will be offered. We will address some of the key topics highlighted in a recent survey we sent out to advisors, including chapter management, financial leadership activities, ICAPs, student leadership opportunities, and more. Come prepared with questions and be willing to share your own stories. Advisors can sign up for graduate credit for attendance at the conference (an outside assignment may be required to receive the credit). This would be a great opportunity for your administrators and staff to learn about the amazing opportunities CTSOs offer advisors and students.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tony Raymond, at 720-858-2794.

 

FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE DATES SET!

Posted 9/7/11

Mark your calendars now for the 2011 Fall Leadership Conference - DECEMBER 2, 2011!

We will be returning to Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado - but we've made some changes and have a lot of fun and exciting leadership training for you!

This year, we're bringing in two national trainers to work with students using the Student leadership Challenge - a highly effective and successul leadership model that teaches students that anyone can be a leader, regardless of age and experience. Grounded in more than 25 years of extensive research, the Student Leadership Challenge identifies five practices of exemplary leadership that are common when leaders are able to make extraordinary things happen:

Advisors: We have heard your requests and needs and we have planned a special concurrent workshop just for you dealing with financial leadership activities, chapter management, state conference survival, and more! If you have a topic you’d like to see addressed, please email Tony Raymond and we'll work in your suggestion!

We’ll still have all the great features of the Avalanche of Leaders, including:

We are finalizing details as of this writing and we'll post news and updates, along with registration information here on this page and on our Facebook page as soon as they are available! Stay tuned!

We look forward to seeing you at the 2011 Fall Leadership Conference - An Avalanche of Leaders!!

 

TSA ONLINE AFFILIATION NOW OPEN

Posted 8/29/2011

TSA online affiliation is now open!  Click here to begin the process of affiliating your chapter for the 2011-2012 school year.
  
TSA accepts membership throughout the school year.  However, priority membership is given to chapters that affiliate by November 28, 2011.  This year those priority
chapters will receive:

Once your affiliation is complete each registered advisor at your school will be sent a Total TSA CD, containing competitive event criteria, leadership lessons and membership materials for your chapter.  If you have questions about chapter affiliation contact Sandy Honour or your State Advisor, Tony Raymond.

Thank you! We look forward to working with you and your chapter this year!

 

STATE CONFERENCE: FEBRUARY 9-11, 2012

Posted 7/25/2011

The 2012 Colorado TSA State Conference will be held at the Denver Tech Center Marriott on February 9-11, 2012! Mark your calendars now! We've posted a countdown timer at the top of this page for you!

 

CHAPTERS CAN GET A FREE BLUE SHIRT

Posted 8/24/2011

Chapters that affiliate by the Priority Membership deadline of November 28, 2011, will have the opportunity to receive one free official TSA blue shirt as a part of the priority membership incentive.  As in past years, chapters will also receive a gold seal certificiate, a free 2011-2012 TSA Information Directory, uninterrupted service and a small gift as a token of appreciation. 
This offer is only good when the free blue shirt is requested along with membership and affiliation is complete (purchase order or payment received at the national TSA office by November 28, 2011).  Shipping is not included.

A Q and A about the offical blue shirt can be found  here

Information on the shirt can also be found below.

 

TSA MENTIONED IN ACTE ARTICLE

Posted 8/24/2011

TSA is mentioned several times in an article that ACTE has published highlighting the role of CTSOs and career awareness.  Click here to view the article.

 

TSA & VEX ROBOTICS

Posted 8/24/2011

TSA chapters across the nation are experiencing steady membership growth by incorporating VEX Robotics into their program of activities. Middle and high school chapters are encouraged to get involved. For help getting started, chapters can contact VEX at support@robotevents.com. More information about the TSA VEX Robotics competition is available at robotevents.com or on the TSA website. Questions also can be directed to Hillary Lee at the national TSA office.

 

OFFICIAL TSA ATTIRE GETS UPDATE

Posted 8/9/2011

In the fall of 2010, a survey was posted on TSA's website regarding the official TSA attire. The survey was a joint effort of the TSA, Inc., Board of Directors and the National TSA Officers.

Almost 2,000 people responded to the survey which included over 25% of current chapter advisors. Approximately 1,200 student members and about 100 parents also participated in the survey.

There was a survey question about an oxford shirt, which resulted in 53% being interested in a button down collar, long-sleeve oxford shirt/blouse with an embroidered TSA logo (not a patch). Royal blue was the most popular color selected, by 62% over red and light blue.

TSA Shirt

This spring, after thoroughly reviewing the survey results, and with input from the National TSA officers, the TSA, Inc., Board of Directors approved replacing the white shirt/blouse as part of the official TSA attire with a royal blue oxford shirt/blouse on which the TSA logo is embroidered and the Technology Student Association appears directly below the emblem. It was further decided that:

The official royal blue TSA shirt/blouse is being customized for TSA and made from 3-3/4 ounce cotton/poly blend poplin fabric with a full color TSA logo on the left chest and an official TSA tag on the sleeve.

Pricing for the 2011-2012 school year is as follows:

The royal blue shirt/blouse is currently on display at the TSA Store website at www.costore.com/tsa and is available for purchase. Production is underway for a December 2011 delivery.

A handout with this information is available here.

 

ACTE PAPER LINKS CTSO PARTICIPATION TO CAREER READINESS

Posted 7/28/2011

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) recently published a paper highlighting the positive relationship between student participation in CTSOs and career readiness.  Click here  to view the article "Expanding Career Readiness Through Career and Technical Student Organizations." 

 

COMPETITIVE EVENT OVERVIEWS

Posted 7/28/2011

Please refer to the TSA Competitive Event Overviews, Middle School and TSA Competitive Event Overviews, High School for the most up-to-date descriptions of all TSA's competitive events.  Complete descriptions and criteria are available on the Total TSA CD which is sent to chapter advisors upon affiliation.

 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE RESULTS/JUDGES COMMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE

Posted 7/28/2011

The following links may be used to access competitive event results from the 2011 national TSA conference:

Judges scoring sheets are posted for select events. Click on the links below to view the scoring sheets.

High school events

Middle school events

 

STATE CONFERENCE DATES SET! MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

Posted 7/25/2011

The 2012 Colorado TSA State Conference will be held at the Denver Tech Center Marriott on February 9-11, 2012! Mark your calendars now! We've posted a countdown timer on this page for you!

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS AND WINNERS AT THE 2011 NATIONAL TSA CONFERENCE!

Posted 7/4/2011

Congratulations to all theparticipants from Colorado who took top honors at the 2011 TSA National Conference in Dallas, TX! Below are our Colorado winners!

CONGRATULATIONS to all of our winners!!

 

MICROSOFT EXEC TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Posted 5/23/2011

During the opening general session at the upcoming national TSA conference at the Gaylord Texan Resort on Wednesday, June 22nd at 9:00am, the keynote address will be given by Microsoft Corporation's National and Chief Technology Officer, Cameron Evans.  Mr. Evans is Microsoft Corporation's national spokesperson for STEM education, school innovation and transformation.  His keynote promises to be a highlight of the conference!

In addition to the opening general session there are three other exciting general sessions planned. Advisors of the Year, along with other award recipients, will be honored at the recognition assembly. During the business meeting the new national TSA officers will be elected. At the last general session, the awards ceremony, the top ten contest finalists will be announced.

There is something for everyone at the 33rd annual national TSA conference! Competitive event online registration ends in just one week on May 31st. If you have not registered do so today on TSA's conference registration website.   

 

ROOMS AT NATIONALS AT A PREMIUM

Posted 5/23/2011

By now most chapters know whether or not they will attend the upcoming national TSA conference in Dallas, Texas from June 21st to June 25th.  Because of the popularity of this conference, a number of chapters are now on a wait list for rooms.  If you reserved rooms earlier this year that you do not now need, please be considerate of your fellow TSA chapters and release those rooms immediately!

To release unneeded rooms, contact Mary Grauwiler (Group Housing Coordinator) today!  Mary may be reached at 817/778-2018 or MGrauwiler@gaylordhotels.com. 

Help out your fellow TSA chapters who still need sleeping roomsat the Gaylord Texan Resort!

 

KICKING-OFF THE 2011 NATIONAL TSA CONFERENCE

Posted 5/23/2011

A "Conference Kick-Off" hosted by the Texas TSA state officers will be held on the first night of the upcoming national TSA conference.  The purpose of this event, which replaces the Mixer, will be an old-fashion "meet and greet" where chapter members can exchange trinkets such as state pins, pencils, stickers or key chains. Make sure to bring a few dozen of these items to give to old and new friends.

There will be no DJ or dancing, but there will be piped-in background music provided by National TSA. The Conference Kick-Off will be a great opportunity for everyone to meet the national TSA officer candidates, the host state officers, the national TSA officers and other members from across the nation.  Even a TSA scavenger hunt will be taking place!

The 2011 national TSA conference will officially get underway on Tuesday, June 21st, from 8:00pm to 10:00pm in the Texas Ballroom at the Gaylord Texan Resort with the Conference Kick-Off. Everyone is welcome!

 

PLANNING FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE?

Posted 3/23/2011

If you're making plans to attend the TSA National Confernce in Dallas, TX, this June, here is some important information you will need:

Important dates and deadlines:

 

March 7

On-line Conference Pre-registration begins

May 1

TSA Membership Awards Deadline
TSA Star Chapter recognition deadline
All National TSA Awards/Recognitions/Scholarships deadline

May 15

National TSA Officer Candidate applications due to National TSA

May 27

State delegation meeting room request deadline

May 30

Gaylord Texan Resort reservation deadline

May 31

Competitive event registration ends
Online conference pre-registration ends
Hotel registration deadline for available sleeping rooms
Conference refund requests due

June 1

American Cancer Society contributions due

June 3

State advisor approval for restricted competitions due

June 21-25

National Conference

 

National Website:

National Conference information can be found here, on the national TSA website.

This link will take you to a comprehensive database of information regarding the national conference. What I have included below is a highlight of some of the major items, but is not to be considered an all-inclusive list. Please consult the website for more information.

Highlights:

Advisors, here’s what you need to take care of if you are going to nationals and some things you should be aware of:

Among the items you will need to take care of:

Registration:

Registration is handled directly with national TSA. You will be registering your chapter/students on their website. You are responsible for registering your students for the national conference. Registration begins here. Scroll down and under REGISTRATION, click on CONFERENCE REGISTRATION.

This link contains information on conference fees, refunds, registration details, attendance, and conference expenses. To begin registration, simply click on the link at the top of the page. Follow the onscreen directions to register your students and yourself/advisors.

Keep in mind that entry into some events is subject to state advisor approval. Below are listed the events and those students who qualify. If your student(s) is/are listed and they CANNOT go, please let me know as soon as possible.

HIGH SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Hotel/Travel Reservations:
As it was at state, you are responsible for your own housing and transportation arrangements. Information about housing can be found here.

Please keep in mind TSA’s policy regarding staying at the designated conference hotels:

Pin/T-Shirt Orders:

At the opening of the National Conference, there is a mixer where students from all across the country gather in a pre-conference celebration. As part of the festivities, attendees from the Colorado delegation usually wear the Colorado delegation T-shirt.  The design was chosen at the state conference.

At the mixer, students trade trading pins – the design for the middle school and the high school pins were chosen at our state conference. The pins are $1 each and can be purchased when you purchase your conference delegation t-shirts.

The winning high school design may be viewed here.

The winning middle school design may be viewed here.

The t-shirt design will be posted shortly. Some minor modifications need to be made to the final design.

Order forms for pins and t-shirts will be sent out shortly.  In order to ensure that your attendees have the state t-shirt and their trading pins, you will need to place your order no later than April 15, 2011. The shirts and pins will be delivered to you before the end of the school year.

National Conference Delegation:

At the national conference we will have one delegation meeting. The meeting location will be announced prior to the national conference. This meeting will be to discuss and vote on the issues before the voting members of TSA as well as to discuss candidates for national office. Please keep in mind that this year, Colorado has nominated Chip Bollendonk from Littleton High School to run for national TSA President.

More Information:

For more information regarding the national conference, please go here. There are all kinds of  links -- letters to parents and administrators, ideas for fundraising for nationals, and information on ideas for activities for your chapter to engage in once you are in Dallas, and more! Or contact Mr. Tony Raymond, COTSA State Advisor, at 720-858-2794.

CONTEST UPDATES, PROBLEMS AND THEMES

Posted 1/24/11

Don't forget to stay up to date on the latest contest updates and clarifications. You can find those updates here. For contest problems and themes, click here.

Specifically - an advisor asked about the FASHION DESIGN contest. The competitive event guide was not clear on whether TSA would supply models for the contest or not. According to the national contest chair: "Each team is responsible for providing its own models for the competition. The team is responsible for making sure that their models are present and on time for the finals."

STATE OFFICER APPLICATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 1

Posted 1/24/11

High school students and Advisors are reminded that State Officer Applications are due to Dr. Raymond NO LATER than February 1, 2011. If you are considering running for state office and have questions, please contact Mr. Raymond at the state office (720) 858-2794, or Dr. Raymond here.

ADVISORS: INFO ON CHECK-IN PROCEDURES

Posted 1/24/11

In the coming week, each chapter advisor will receive via mail several items, including: individualized schedules for each student, a master schedule of all the chapter's registered members, and, most importantly, a list of each student's ID number and several labels with those ID numbers on them. We are attempting to streamline the check-in process and we are asking that advisors ensure that these labels are corectly placed on each student's project PRIOR to checking the items in at registration on February 10.

Please have each student affix the proper ID label on EVERY item of their project that will be turned in for judging. Students should place the label on each notebook, CD/DVD, each piece of a display (includind the display board and display items), and drawing. By having students label each item in their projects to be turned in ahead of time, the check-in process should go much more smoothly. Please double-check your students' ID numbers and the ID numbers on the labels to ensure that they are correct. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Raymond at (720) 858-2794.

STATE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CLOSED

Posted 1/24/11

The registration for the 25th Annual Colorado TSA State Conference has officially closed. No further changes to registration can be made. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Raymond at (720) 858-2794.

STATE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION EXTENDED

Posted 1/4/11

Registration for the 2011 Colorado Technology Student Association State Conference, which will be held February 10-12, 2011, has begun and the web site is open. Have you gotten your team registered yet? If not, you may want to take care of it sooner rather than later as the registration deadline is rapidly approaching!  

REGISTRATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED – Due to several schools and districts not coming back this week, but next, we have extended registration until JANUARY 14, 2011.  All COTSA State Conference registrations must be completed no later than MIDNIGHT on JANUARY 14, 2011!

The registration website is: https://www.registermychapter.com/tsa/co/Main.asp

Simply click on CONFERENCE REGISTRATION and enter your username and password. If you have used the system before and don’t remember the username and password, or if you’ve never registered before and would like some assistance in doing this, please contact Mr. Raymond and he will walk you through the process.

JUDGES NEEDED

Posted 1/4/11

This year, individuals who would like to assist with judging can log into our registration system and sign up to judge an event! Click here to be taken to the Registration website. Once there, you’ll be able to pick out what events you can assist with and on what days. It’s something new we are trying this year to help volunteers figure out what works best for their schedules. Many hands make light work!

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Posted 1/4/11

Remember, TSA Chapters are responsible for making and paying for their own hotel reservations – and those must be completed by January 15, 2011! All housing forms are in the Call to Conference which can be downloaded here.

CONTEST UPDATES AND CLARIFICATIONS

Posted 1/4/11

Don’t forget to check the national TSA website for news and updates regarding competitions: http://www.tsaweb.org/Updates-and-Clarification

STATE OFFICERS

Posted 1/4/11

We are still looking for several good state officer candidates. If you have a student, or you are a student, who is interested in becoming a State Officer – the paperwork needs to be completed and turned in no later than February 1, 2011! There’s a lot there, so don't lose any time – get that paperwork in now! The forms can be found in the Call to Conference which can be downloaded here.

STATE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN (Posted 11/27/10)

Posted 11/27/10

The registration site for the 2011 Colorado TSA State Conference is now open! Is your team registered? If not, you should probably do so soon -- the deadline is rapidly approaching! All registrations must be completed by midnight on JANUARY 7, 2011!

The registration website is: https://www.registermychapter.com/tsa/co/Main.asp

ADVISORS: If you have not logged in to the system before, or if you have but have forgotten your user name and password, please contact Mr. Raymond at tony.raymond@cccs.edu or (720) 858-2794.

Also, if you have individuals who would like to volunteer as judges, have them go to the website and click on JUDGES REGISTRATION. From here they can pick out what events and times work best for their schedules. It's something new we are trying this year in order to smooth out the judging process.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Raymond at tony.raymond@cccs.edu or (720) 858-2794.

Fall Leadership Conference Photos

Photos from the Fall Leadership Conference have been posted on Facebook and they can also be viewed here. If you took photos of the event and would like to share them, please contact Mr. Raymond at tony.raymond@cccs.edu or (720) 858-2794.

Fall Leadership Conference Deadline Extended

Posted 10/08/10

The deadline for the 2010 Fall Leadership Conference has been extended! There are only a few spots left! Make sure you don't miss this wonderful opportunity! Get the information packet here.

Advisor of the Year - 2011 - Who Will It Be

Posted 10/13/10

Which advisor will win the honor of being Colorado's 2011 Advisor of the Year? Will it be your advisor? Not unless you submit their name! Get the information you need to nominate your advisor from the Call to Conference document and nominate your advisor today!

ADVISORS: Get your students the recognition they deserve through all the various award and recognition programs listed in the Call to Conference! There are even scholarships available! Check it out today!

REMINDER: Fall Leadership Conference Deadline Coming Soon!

Posted 10/14/10

Advisors -- A reminder that the deadline for the Fall Leadership Conference is rapidly approaching and seats are starting to fill up fast! The Fall Leadership Conference is November 19th at Pepsi Center -- and for a whole day you'll get leadership training, a behind the scenes look at Pepsi Center, talk with some of their staff, get to play some broomball or ice skate on the Avs' ice, and then get to take in a hockey game between the Avs and the New York Rangers! Don't miss this great opportunity! For more information, download the information packet here.

IMPORTANT: Official TSA Attire Survey

Posted 10/05/10

National TSA would like you to take part in a survey designed to determine if changes should be made to the official TSA attire. Should any changes in official TSA attire be made as a result of this survey, implementation would occur over a two-year period beginning in the 2011/12 school year. All advisors, members and their parents are encouraged to
take this survey and have their vote count! The survey ends on December 1, 2010.

Click here to take the survey. Let your voice be heard!

Call to Conference, State Competitive Events Guide and Fall Leadership Conference Info now available!

Posted 10/05/10

The Call to Conference for the 2011 Colorado State Conference is now available here or at the link on the right. This document contains a wealth of information regarding the state conference, including deadlines, forms and hotel information.

Also available now is the 2010-11 State Competitive Events Guide. Click here to download the guide. In this guide you will find all the rules for the state-only events, as well as a listing of all events to be held at the conference which also includes the numbers of students from each chapter allowed in the state contests. This is an invaluable resource for teachers!

And coming up on November 19, is the 2010 Fall Leadership Conference. Done in conjunction with SkillsUSA Colorado, this leadership conference will feature leadership training, behind-the-scenes tours of Pepsi Center, ice time to play broomball and skate (you will need your own ice skates!), as well as an Avalanche game against the New York Rangers. For more information and forms, download the Fall Leadership Conference packet here or at the link on the right.

Einstein Fellowship for K12 Teachers

Posted 10/05/10

The application for the Triangle Coalition's Einstein Fellowship for K-12 Teachers is now available. Visit the National TSA site here, or the Triangle Coalition here. .

Hug a TSA Member Day - October 7, 2010

Posted 10/01/10

It's Hug a TSA Member Day on October 7! Hug your TSA members!!!!

New Challenge for COTSA at the High School Level - Integrated Autonomous Vehicle

Posted 09/29/10

High Schoolers - Are you sad there's no more R/C Transportation Challenge? Well, check with your advisors later today when they get the state rule book -- We're bringing you a new competition called Integrated Autonomous Vehicle for the State Conference!

Do you know what the themes are for your events?

Posted 09/29/10

Make sure you have the correct themes and most up-to-date problems for your projects! Go to: http://www.tsaweb.org/Themes-and-Problems to find out what the individual contest themes and problems are.

Stay on top of Rule Changes and Contest Updates

Posted 09/29/10

Stay on top of updates and clarifications to contests as you prepare for the State and National Conferences! Click here to go to the update page.

The latest edition School Scene is now online!

Posted 09/29/10

The latest TSA School Scene is now posted online. Go here to check it out.

The impact of CTE is talked about on The Today Show

Posted 09/28/10

Here's a video from the Today Show promoting career and technical education! Share it with your business and industry partners to show them the impact your student organization has! Click here to view the video.

News from the National Office via Facebook

Posted 09/27/10

Stay on top of the latest news from the National Office via Facebook. Click here to see the National TSA Facebook page.

Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women in HS

Posted 09/16/10

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women at the high-school level for computing-related achievements &interests. Awardees are selected for computing and IT aptitude, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education. Click here for more information.

2010 Fall Leadership Conference - November 19 - Mark your calendars now!

Posted 09/16/10

Mark your calendars! The 2010 Fall Leadership Conference will be held November 19th! We will be returning to the Pepsi Center for another Avalanche of Leaders - a day of leadership training, industry presentations, tours of Pepsi Center, ice time and, of course, an Avalanche game (vs. the New York Rangers)! Details to ...follow!

2011 Colorado TSA State Conference Scheduled for February 10-12

Posted 09/13/10

The 2011 Colorado TSA State Conference has been scheduled for February 10-12, 2011 at the Denver Tech Center Marriott in Denver. Mark your calendars now and keep an eye on your inbox to get the lates Call to Conference and the State Competitive Events Guide.

Stay in touch!

Stay on top of the latest happenings by following COTSA on Facebook and Twitter. If you don't have a Facebook account, you can set one up here.

For More Information

For more information about Colorado TSA, please contact Tony Raymond, Colorado TSA State Advisor, at 720-858-2794..