The TSA Achievement Program, Pathways to Excellence promotes service leadership, STEM immersion, and personal/ professional development in middle school and high school members through their involvement in STEM-based activities. Specifically, the program aims to:

• engage members at the local, state, and national levels

• facilitate opportunities for members to use and expand their knowledge and skills in technology and engineering education

• recognize the efforts of members to attain bronze, silver, and gold-level awards

This year, Elko Middle's TSA will be participating at the Bronze level. For the Bronze Award, the member must complete one activity in each of the three categories in the bronze level, for a total of three activities.  Unless otherwise stated, written documentation required for an activity must be between 100 and 300 words. For the entirety of the program, or unless otherwise stated, documentation for an activity may be submitted only once.

 
To attain the awards, members must successfully engage in the required number of activities at each level:

For SERVICE LEADERSHIP, Students will be attending the Jan 25 or the Feb 22 school board meeting and will write a 100-300 summary about the experience. Students will learn and read about school board members and the HCPS organizational structure before attending the event.  

For STEM IMMERSION, Students will have the following options:

1. Take a STEM-related class offered at your school. Record the name of the class, the STEM component addressed, and how it may help you pursue your STEM education or future career.

2. Compete in a TSA competition that is listed under “STEM (General)” or “STEM and the Arts” on the TSA website. Provide written documentation that includes the name of the event, the level of competition (school or regional), and a summary of the experience.

3. Write a report (between 300 and 500 words) that addresses why mathematics is important universally and how it is applied in a real-world STEM situation.

4. Imagine that it is the year 2050. What new STEM TSA event would you expect to see in the roster of TSA competitions? Write a report (between 300 and 500 words) explaining the event.

5. Attend or watch a lecture (at least 45 minutes long) in relation to STEM. Provide written documentation (between 300 and 500 words) about the topic and what you learned from the lecture.

For PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, students will have the following options:

1. Identify a career field of interest to you and three job positions within that field. Record the field, the job positions, and the educational background needed for each position.

2. Identify three of your strengths and three of your weaknesses. Provide written documentation that addresses how these characteristics align with a particular STEM occupation or career field.

4. Write thank you cards to three of your teachers. Include the lessons and skills they taught that have had an impact on you. Provide copies of the cards.

5. Create an informational poster or graphic for a STEM occupation.