By Matt Hoover
USD 475 Communications Coordinator
The Junction City High School Technology Student Association Chapter will be sending 10 students this summer to the National TSA Conference in Orlando, Fla.
To qualify for nationals, the Blue Jays had eight of the 10 students be named Kansas state finalists in Geospatial Technology (first place), Debate in Technology Issues and the TSA-VEX Robotics competition at the Kansas TSA State Conference in Salina.
In the Debate in Technology Issues division, the team of Ohemaa Sarpong and Kaitlyn Brady claimed runner-up honors to qualify for nationals, while Elaina Schmidt and Ruth Easterling also advanced to Orlando by earning third-place accolades.
Finally, the robotics team quartet of David Trammell, Caleb Mekuria, Bryson Fisher and Alan Leis will compete against the best-of-the-best in Orlando in the TSA-VEX Robotics competition after being a Kansas state finalist.
The conference, which will run June 26 through June 30, allows USD 475 students the opportunity to demonstrate the STEM skills and knowledge they have acquired during the 2023-24 school year, while also gaining expertise from peers across the country.
Kansas State Finalist For The National TSA Conference
Debate in Technology - Second Place
• Ohemaa Sarpong
• Kaitlyn Brady
Debate in Technology - Third Place
• Elaina Schmidt
• Ruth Easterling
TSA-VEX Robotics Competition Kansas Finalist
• David Trammell
• Caleb Mekuria
• Bryson Fisher
• Alan Leis