Eight students in the Technology Student Association recently attended the state leadership conference with sponsor and teacher Ms. Amber Mims, a three-day event in Kerrville.
“We also stopped and toured the state capitol in Austin,” Ms. Mims said.
Ms. Mims said there was a boat race at the conference, where students created a boat using two sheets of cardboard and one roll of duct tape.
“Two students had to use the boat to paddle across an outdoor pool,” she said. “We came in second place.”
Senior David Lebaillif designed the structure of the boat.
“My design was based on a cardboard canoe,” he said. “The idea was to make it with as few cuts as possible, so it was almost completely made out of folds.”
David said the boat held up as he expected, but a year earlier a similar design did not hold up.
“I studied a few of my design pictures, and before we started building I sketched the folds and cuts on the boat,” he said. “I like the risk associated with this type of competition. The goal, of course, is to not make a boat that would immediately sink your teammates.”
David said he has worked on the problem-solving team all the way to nationals, as well as the structural engineering team.
“It goes without saying, but my teammates Will and Omar at the boat regatta, and Sam at our other team competitions, make the team function as a whole,” he said. “I would definitely rather work with a team than by myself.”
The students who rode in the boat were Senior Iveth Hernandez and Sophomore Malorie Tagle.
Malorie said the boat had great support and was efficient.
Iveth said they used their hands to paddle, so it was easy.
“We sat a certain way so it wouldn’t tip over, but there were times I thought it would,” she said.
Iveth said she likes TSA, because she enjoys the trips and meeting students from many other places.
Malorie said she is planning to run for officer at election time, because she wants to see the growth of TSA and be more active in the organization.
Omar Gonzalez, who helped make the boat, said he enjoyed going to the TSA conference because he enjoys becoming more comfortable in new situations, such as meeting and talking to new people.
“I enjoy it more every year because of the new people I meet, and how everyone acts with an uplifted attitude,” he said.
Sam Jacobs not only attended the conference, but also helped run it. As state vice president of TSA, he said he helped conduct the general sessions.
“I ran break-out sessions and a special-interest session,” he said. “I helped run Bingo and the glow bash. I enjoyed meeting new people and interacting with everyone.”
Edwin Alfaro attended the conference and plans to run for a spot on the state leadership support team this year.
Earlier this semester, TSA attended the Regional Leadership Conference with 36 students.
David Conner Whitton was elected as regional treasurer and Pablo Chavez were elected as regional sergeant at arms at that conference.
