Johnston students successful at state technology conference

Team Photo with HuebbeALTOONA, Ia. (April 6, 2023) — Johnston students, who lead both the state and national branches of the Technology Student Association (TSA), were successful at the organization’s state conference this week. Twenty-seven middle and high school students qualified for the National TSA Conference, which will be held June 28 to July 2 in Louisville, Kentucky.

TSA is a national, non-profit organization of middle and high school students who have a strong interest in technology. TSA was chartered in 1978 and since then over 2 million students have participated in its program.  Members learn through challenging competitions, leadership activities and community service. 

The TSA State Conference was held April 3 and 4 at the Adventureland Inn in Altoona. Students from both Johnston Middle School and Johnston High School participated.

Middle School Division

In the middle school division, 15 Johnston Middle School TSA members competed in 13 events over the course of two days and came away as Chapter Champs. All 15 qualified for the national competition.

  • CAD Foundations: Luke Gragg placed 1st and Ruhaan Gupta placed 2nd.  
  • Challenging tech issues: Advik Bajpai and Akul Gonchigar placed 1st and Luke Gragg and Ruhaan Gupta placed 2nd.  
  • Chapter team placed 1st with Advik Bajpai, Paige Lehman, Anna Lu, Saanvi Chintamanani, Manasvi Dhanekula, and Ethan Huebbe.  
  • Children’s Stories placed 1st with Saanvi Chintamanani and Manasvi Dhanekula.  
  • Digital Photography placed 3rd with Anna Lu.  
  • CO2 Dragster: Ethan Huebbe placed 1st and Gus Kirwan placed 2nd.  
  • Flight Challenge: Nick Marin placed 1st.  
  • Forensics Technology: Layla Chamberland and Madeline Allemange placed 1st, Akul Gonchigar and Ritvik Gupta placed 2nd, and Gus Kirwan and Evitt Fitzgerald placed 3rd. 
  • Prepared Speech: Paige Lehman placed 3rd   
  • Problem Solving: Ethan Huebbe and Evitt Fitzgerald placed 1st and Layla Chamberland and Anna Lu placed 2nd.  
  • Promotional Marketing: Ritvik Gupta placed 1st, Luke Gragg placed 2nd, and Evitt Fitzgerald placed 3rd.  
  • Structural Engineering: Saanvi Chintamanani and Manasvi Dhanekula placed 1st Ethan Huebbe and Gus Kirwan placed 3rd.  
  • Technology Quiz bowl: Ethan Huebbe, Gus Kirwan, and Evitt Fitzgerald placed 1st and Advik Bajpai, Ritvik Gupta, and Akul Gonchigar placed 3rd.

Congratulations to Paige Lehman for being re-elected and Advik Bajpai for being elected to the 2023-2024 state officer team for middle school.

High School Division

In the high school division, all 16 Johnston High School events placed in the top 6. Here are the 12 Johnston High School students who qualified for the national conference:

  • Caroline Throener – Board Game Design
  • Anita Dinakar -Anjali Kumar- Debating Tech Issues
  • Maanit Sheth- Dragster
  • Akshita Kulkarni -Audrey Renaud – Forensic Science
  • Sid Rajkumar , Maanit Sheth, Caroline Throener – Technology Bowl
  • Kathir Kalyanaraman – Shreyas Shrestha – Technology Problem Solving
  • Esha Bolar – Extemporaneous Speech

JHS senior Esha Bolar is the current National President for TSA, while Anjali Kumar is the outgoing Iowa TSA President. Maanit Sheth was re-elected to the Iowa TSA student officer team.