Hosting Organization(s): New Jersey Technology Student Association
Learners Impacted: 1,600
Throughout New Jersey STEM Month, New Jersey Technology Student Association (NJ TSA) hosted a total of 31 Middle School and 33 High School competitive events. The events spanned across a plethora of STEM topics and were 100% virtual, to increase accessibility for all students across the state. Upon the conclusion of New Jersey STEM Month, approximately 1,600 students from 67 high schools and 17 middle schools from across New Jersey participated in the virtual competitions.
NJ TSA middle school competitions ranged from STEM Animation to Inventions and Innovations, and Biotechnology to Website Design, with just a few examples listed here. Middle school students worked both individually and as teams to problem solve and present their solutions to crucial, real-world topics such as sustaining natural resources for future generations, social skills impacted by remote learning, and social media privacy. Competitions included hands-on design problems, as well, including coding a “Best of New Jersey” app, creating a children’s book on STEM careers, and developing a promotional marketing kit for a fictitious STEM equipment company. Additionally, NJ TSA high school competitions included subjects such as CAD, Music Production, Future Technology and Engineering Teacher, and Board Game Design, just to name a few. High school students addressed topics focused on electronic payments, restoring and improving urban infrastructure, augmented reality, remote learning, and more. Students also developed and designed many prototypes, including creating periscopes, designing fashion pieces, and developing websites for a virtual event. High school students also coded a “Best of New Jersey” app, celebrating the students’ favorite restaurants, beaches, and locations across the Garden State.