TSA WEEK: 2/27/12 - 3/2/12

Brahma Tech Academy proudly presents first annual TSA week! 

What is TSA you ask? Well, Technology Student Association is the activity branch of the Brahma Tech Academy. All students of BT are encouraged to participate in TSA competitions. But on the bigger scale, TSA is a national organization with over 150,000 members all across the nation. After participating in the in-house competitions, you may move on to attend the national conference at Nashville, Tennessee, from 6/21 - 6/25/12. 

So what's going on during TSA week & what kind of competition events are available? 

ON DEMAND VIDEO (2/27/12 after school 3:15 - 4:00 pm)

Overview: Participants write, shoot, and edit a 60 second video in 48 hours. Required criteria, such as props and/or a line of dialogue will make the competition more challenging & interesting. 

Eligibility: Participants are limited to 1 team of 2 or 3 students.

Time Limits: Videos must be no longer than 60 seconds. All entries must be completed in the 48 hour time limit. 

All videos must be on flash drives with participants' names attached.

Mandatory meeting on 2/24/12 during lunch in room 206. Required criteria will be announced. 
*Please do not start prior to the 2/24/12 meeting.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY (2/28/12 after school 3:15 - 4:00 pm) 

Overview: Participants capture images and process photographic and digital prints that depict the theme perspectives. Participants may utilize multimedia software to prepare a storyboard/collage. You must be ready to present your entry.

Eligibility: Limited 1 entry per participant. Groups are not allowed. 

Last year's national 1st place entry: http://www.tsaweb.org/sites/default/files/u1/PhotoTech1.pdf

DEBATING TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES (2/29/12 after school 3:15 - 4:00 pm)

Overview: Team members will work together to prepare for a debate against an opposing team. The teams will be instructed to take either the pro or con side of the selected subtopic. 

Theme: biotechnology

Subtopics: 

1. Is it appropriate to use emerging synthetic genomic engineering technology to build new forms of "life"? 

2. Should genetic engineering techniques and processes be used in agriculture? 

3. Should companies that develop genetically altered plants and seeds be allowed to have a monopoly on the products they develop? 

Teams may be formed or assigned depending on the number of participants. 

TECHNOLOGY BOWL (3/1/12 after school 3:15 - 4:00 pm) 

Overview: Teams compete in oral question/response, head-to-head competition against each other with buzzers.

4 students per team. Teams may be formed or assigned depending on the number of participants. 

TSA COMPETITION SHOWCASE & AWARDS (3/2/12 during lunch)

Overlook of the TSA week & announce the winners. Winning entries will be presented. Everyone is invited so bring your friends! 

Sign up through:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dHhjY3VTS3RoajZ2Q1hpTk5QUHJibGc6MQ#gid=0

$3 entry fee will be charged per student. 

Competition Events 2011-2012

Please take the online survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dGV5ckRFZnA4Q1JZREUyYUp5OTlVbGc6MQ#gid=0

2011-2012 Possible TSA Competition Events

Architectural Model
Participants design a senior citizen day care center.

Biotechnology Design
Students select a contemporary biotechnology problem that relates to Pharmaceutical/Agricultural Chemicals and demonstrate understanding of the problem through research, a solution, a display and a multimedia presentation.

Construction Renovation
Band Practice/Recording Studio
Participants develop a set of presentation boards to include plans, illustrations and finishes for a specified space. The solution must include all applicable construction systems. 
The 2012 national TSA conference is in the “Music City.” The parents of a high school junior are very excited about his musical talents. He is the drummer in a band. The parents are renovating the loft level of a detached garage to create a band practice/recording studio. The main level of the garage is off limits and cannot be changed or altered in any way except to accommodate the necessary plumbing for the loft level. The ceiling height of the loft is 8' throughout the level. The design solution may contain ideas for separating the space into multiple rooms/areas; however, the loft must include a half-bath with a sink and a toilet. The location of an existing half-bath is shown in the garage level drawing. The budget for the loft renovation is $25,000. The budget does not include any of the band’s instruments or any recording equipment. The parents ask that noise reduction be taken into consideration in the design solution.   
Special reminder: Free standing is defined as relying solely on the force of gravity to stay in place; not supported by anything.
Foam core boards should be hinged and remain within the size guideline.

http://www.tsaweb.org/sites/default/files/2012%20HS%20Construction%20Renovation%20problem.pdf

Debating Technological Issues
Team members prepare to debate both pro and con views of a subtopic (which falls under a general topic) against a team from another chapter. The 2011 topic is Biotechnology, with these subtopics:
1) Is it appropriate to use emerging synthetic genomic engineering technology to build new forms of “life”?
2) Should genetic engineering techniques and processes be used in agriculture?
3) Should companies that develop genetically altered plants and seeds be allowed to have a monopoly on the products they develop?

Desktop Publishing
Theme: Beyond Tradition

Digital Video Production
Theme: Suspense

Essays on Technology
Topic: The Impacts of Every-Changing Technology on Schools
Subtopics:
Budgets
Computers
World Wide Web
Classroom technology

Fashion Design
The theme challenge is to design two outfits that correspond to a specific historical period, such as the Victorian era, or any other historical period with a particular fashion style.

Manufacturing PrototypeParticipants design and manufacture a prototype of a product and provide a description of how the product could be manufactured in a state-of-the-art American manufacturing facility. 
Product: a complete desk set. The set must include–but is not limited to–a coaster, a double paper tray, a pen and pencil holder, and a business card holder. An appropriate marketing package should accompany the product. The marketing package should not include the use of any copyrighted characters or images.

Photographic Technology
Participants capture images and process photographic and digital prints that depict the current year’s published theme.
Theme: Perspectives

Webmaster
"Post-Shuttle: The Future of American Manned Space Exploration”
I. CONTEXT
On July 21, 2011, the space shuttle Atlantis touched down for its final landing at Kennedy Space Center, marking the end of 30 years of space shuttle flight by NASA. Left without a NASA-operated manned vehicle for space travel for the first time in decades, much debate―and money―has been directed at the future of manned space flight by the United States.
II. CHALLENGE 
Design a website that displays your research concerning the history and future of American manned space exploration. The solution should include, but not focus on, information about past capabilities of space travel. The primary focus of the solution should be research about all recent and future government and commercial manned space flight programs. The team should present a fact-supported opinion abouta proposed NASA solution and NASA exploration objectives.
III. EVALUATION
Thought should be given to effective website design practices and cross-platform compatibility. The website will be evaluated using any combination of Windows XP, Vista and 7, as well as Mac OS X, in any browser supported by those platforms, including the latest versions of Internet Explorer 8/9, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Teams should strive to create a clean, easy to use website that features an excellent presentation of the required content.

http://www.tsawebmaster.com