Independence High School started the Technology Student Association (TSA) club for students interested in the various aspects of technology. Members of the club will engage in different activities, such as participating in competitions and learning how technology plays a role in everyday life.

During the monthly club meetings, students will focus on technology based topics, including biotechnology, coding, cybersecurity, robotics and more. The TSA is open to all students, even if they don’t know much about tech and are just looking for a place to learn.

The teacher sponsor in charge of the club, Kathryn McDowell, mentioned that most of the students that join the club are usually interested in participating in the competitions despite the registration fee.

“The students participate in regional, state, and national competitions,” McDowell said. “People put together their projects, either group or individual, and they are put forward for the competitions.”

The club meetings will start around the beginning of September. During the competition months, special competition tutorials will be held where TSA student officers and teachers will assist students who need help preparing.

Along with the competitions, professional speaker events are another important part of the TSA this year. 

“We are planning to have professional speaker events where individuals in a STEM field speak to our members and give advice on how they developed their passions,” TSA Student Officer Shyam Polineni said. “We are also considering including volunteering opportunities for members to tutor middle schoolers or help out with the local community.”

With all of the various competitions, events, and volunteering opportunities, the TSA can be included on a college application.

“In high school, you need to have something that you do in addition to school, and joining clubs lets you meet people who have similar interests,” McDowell said. “It’s also good to go on a college application, because the more clubs you belong to, the more people acknowledge that.”

Students involved in the TSA will undergo a learning experience where they will get an opportunity to dive deeper into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“What I like the most about the TSA is definitely the knowledge and experience that can be gained from competing nationally,” Polineni said. “There are a wide array of events from testing to presentation, and competing not only helped me improve the knowledge pertinent to the specific event but also helped me to gain experience in communicating and presenting to judges, which are integral for real-world applications.”

The TSA is open to all students, no past experience needed.

Anyone who wants to join the TSA must join the Remind using the code @ihstsa2021.