Students brought home honors from the 51^st annual Delaware Technology Student Association (DETSA) State Leadership Conference at University of Delaware’s Clayton Hall last week. Bringing together more than 800 students, educators, and industry professionals from across the state, this year’s conference was a celebration of innovation, leadership, and excellence in technology and engineering education, all under the theme “Evolution of Excellence.”

Fun-Filled Highlights of the 51st Annual SLC:

• Awards for Competitive Events: With more than 60 exciting competitive events covering robotics, coding, engineering, fashion design technology, digital video production, multimedia production, and more. Delaware’s students displayed their talents and expertise for all to see!
• Empowering Leadership Workshops: Attendees were inspired by engaging workshops and seminars led by professionals from the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering, helping them gain valuable skills and knowledge for their future adventures in technology and STEM.
• Connect and Learn: The conference provided a platform for students to make friends, meet educators, and connect with representatives from the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering, sparking new friendships and inspiring teamwork within the technology and STEM community.
• Special Shoutouts: Outstanding chapters like Indian River School District’s Sussex Central High School and MOT Charter School were recognized, as well as exceptional student leaders such as Lillian Sharp and Jessica Liu, for their contributions.
• Celebrating State Officers: Outstanding senior student leaders Anaum Allimulla, Kate Li, and Sanjana Gontu were recognized for their contributions along with their fellow standout peers of Chuiyee Kong, Arnav Taduvayi, and Mason LeNoir for their fantastic leadership skills.
• Passing the Torch: DETSA welcomed new visionary student leaders from Odyssey Charter School, Caesar Rodney School District’s Caesar Rodney High School, and Newark Charter High School, who are ready to lead DETSA into a future full of excitement and innovation.

Alongside these highlights, the conference celebrated the achievements of Delaware Technology Student Association members through thrilling competitive events. DETSA’s 2024 awards represent how our youth are dedicated to applying innovation and creativity to solve technological problems.

For more information about the Delaware Technology Student Association and upcoming events, please visit www.detsa.org.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Students and advisors from across the State of Delaware joined more than 8,000 national members at the 45^th Annual Technology Student Association (TSA) conference that was hosted in Louisville, Kentucky last week. The First State delegation represented 130 of Delaware’s finest student leaders from Caesar Rodney High School, Cab Calloway School of The Arts, Fred Fifer Middle School, H.B. duPont Middle School, Indian River High School, Magnolia Middle School, MOT Charter High School, Newark Charter School, Newark High School, Odyssey Charter School Postlethwait Middle School and Sussex Central High School.

Students competed in individual and team events such as: Architecture; Podcasting; Biotechnology; Board Game Design; Career Prep; Coding; Cybersecurity; Data Science and Analytics; Video Production; Dragster Design; Extemporaneous Speech; Fashion Design and Technology; Flight Endurance; Foundations of Information Technology; Future Teacher; Manufacturing Prototype; Microcontroller Design; Photographic Technology; Solar Sprint; Software Development; STEM Animation; Structural Engineering; System Control Technology; Technology Problem Solving; VEX Robotics; Video Game Design; Virtual Reality Visualization (VR); and Website Design and more.  Honors for the Delaware delegation include:

Achievement Awards

• Samhitha Vallury of MOT Charter School recognized for service as secretary of Technology Student Association inc.
• Samra Iqbal of Caesar Rodney High School recognized for service as reporter of Technology Student Association inc.
• Roger Seedorf of MOT Charter School recognized as High School Teacher of the Year
• Laura Barnas of Postlethwait Middle recognized as Middle School Teacher of the Year
• Mike Fitzgerald from the Delaware Department of Education recognized as the National State Advisor of the Year

National Top 10 Finalists

• Desen Basara of Caesar Rodney High School earned 1^st place in Essays on Technology
• Shiven Reddy and Youg Patel of Newark Charter High School earned 3^rd place in Technology Problem Solving
• Nathan Hryniewicz of Newark Charter High School earned 5^th place in CAD Engineering
• Arnav Angra of H.B. duPont Middle School earned 7^th place in Foundations of Information Technology
• John Barnas, Zachary Barnas, and Mason Lenoir of Postlethwait Middle School earned 7^th place in Video Game Design
• James Carroll and Audrey Houghton of Newark Charter High School earned 10^th place in Forensic Science
• Ethan Ho, Chase Polk and Noah Veron of Newark Charter High School earned 10^th place in System Control Technology

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) dedicated to students interested in advancing the future of technology, invention, innovation, design, and engineering. Through TSA, members gain the opportunity to participate in STEM focused competitive events, take part in community service work, and become leaders for the organization at the school, state, and national level. TSA incorporates co-curricular experiences to emphasize the importance of knowledge, leadership, skill development, and teamwork. To learn more about the Delaware Technology Student Association visit: www.detsa.org or contact Mike Fitzgerald by phone at (302) 735-4015 or via email at mike.fitzgerald@doe.k12.de.us. A list of all international finalists can be found online at TSA Competitive Event Finalists.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Delaware students recently brought home awards from a national SkillsUSA leadership conference.

Forty-one Delaware SkillsUSA high school students joined more than 16,000 participants in the 2023 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta. Students participated in events involving construction trades, video broadcasting, graphic arts, automotive trades, and leadership skills. Four students placed in the top 10, and 11 students received Skill Point awards, which represent the pinnacle of achievement in demonstrating proficiency and workplace readiness in a student’s occupational specialty. In addition, Delaware was recognized by the National SkillsUSA office for having the largest high school membership percentage increase and the largest overall membership percentage increase for the 2022-2023 school year.

The advisers and students, who were for the majority rising juniors, returned energized from Atlanta. They are ready to engage and help grow SkillsUSA in Delaware and allow our students the opportunity to participate in the best job interview in the world.

SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization that empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. Its vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member the opportunity for career success.

The SkillsUSA National Championships are career competition events showcasing the best career and technical education students in the nation. Through an investment from business and industry partners of about $36 million, the event occupies a space equivalent to 31 football fields or 41 acres.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Secretary of Education Mark Holodick today honored the Delaware winners of the Esri’s 2023 ArcGIS US School Competition.

The winners for high school

• Natalie Lewis
  • Grade 11, Caesar Rodney High School
  • Supporting teacher: Kim Lewis
  • Entry – Dover AFB
• Alicia Zhang
  • Grade 9, Newark Charter School
  • Supporting teacher:  Stacey Bartowski
  • Entry – Historical Stories of the First State
• Abigail Sweet & Kaylee McDowell
  • Grade 9
  • Lake Forest High School
  • Supporting Teacher: Christopher Sherman
  • Entry – Dessert Shops in Delaware

The winner for middle school

• Eric Lewis
• Grade 7: Stonegate Academy (Nonpublic School)
• Supporting teacher: Kim Lewis
• Entry – Historic Buildings in Delaware

Past winning entries from Delaware students along with more information is available online here.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Nearly 700 middle and high school students participated last week at the 45^th annual Delaware Technology Student Association (DETSA) State Leadership Conference that was hosted by the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering. The conference opened each day with a session led by the state officers of Puiyee Kong and Chuiyee Kong (Caesar Rodney High School) and Sanjana Medisetty, Anaum Allimulla, Kate Li and Anusha Devisetty (Newark Charter School) and the national officers of Sami Vallury (MOT Charter School) and Samra Iqbal (Caesar Rodney High School).

At the conference, students earned 341 medals in 49 contests such as: architectural design; biotechnology; coding; cybersecurity; digital video production; dragster design; engineering design; flight endurance; fashion design and technology; forensic technology; geospatial technology; inventions and innovations; mechanical engineering; medical technology; STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) animation; photographic technology; robotics; structural engineering; system control technology; website design; video game design and more. Eligible students qualified for the National Leadership Conference, which will be held June 21-24, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Delaware Technology Student Association (DETSA) is a career and technical student organization dedicated to students who are interested in pursuing their future in a career in STEM. This year nearly 3,421 members had the opportunity to participate in career focused competitive events, take part in community service, and become leaders of the organization at the school, state, and national level. DETSA incorporates curricular and co-curricular experiences to emphasize the importance of knowledge, leadership, skill development, and teamwork.

Attached find a list of students who have placed. The specific state awards will be announced on the detsa.org website on April 22, 2023, during a virtual awards ceremony. To learn more about DETSA, please contact Mike Fitzgerald by email at mike.fitzgerald@doe.k12.de.us.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006