Student wins national technology conference competition
BIRDSBORO » A Daniel Boone Area High School rising senior won in her section of the 2018 National Technology Student Association Conference in Atlanta.
Breana McNamara won the Future Technology Teacher section of the competition, in which students “investigate technology education preparation programs in higher education and test potential as a future technology education,” according to the Technology Student Association website.
The Technology Association Conference “enhances personal development, leadership, and career opportunities in STEM, whereby members apply and integrate these concepts through intracurricular activities, competitions, and related programs,” according to the website.
“I joined the organization because in sixth grade I had this burning desire to make a website,” McNamara said. “The one thing that TSA offers that I think organizations don’t is that it allows you to become well rounded in all areas.”
With 160 entries in McNamara’s section of the national competition, it was broken into three tasks: to research two colleges with STEM education, complete a college essay they would potentially submit to those colleges, and create a lesson plan with a portfolio and activities they would teach to a class.
The participants presented their lesson to the judges, who acted as eighth graders. One acted like she was on her phone, McNamara said.
“I had to keep stopping and asking her to put her phone away,” McNamara said.
McNamara’s lesion was about the properties of water, specifically cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension. She and the class conducted two experiments. The first involved putting pepper in a dish of water. The “students” placed their fingers covered in Dawn in the center of the pepper.
“If you touch it, the pepper actually spreads because you break the surface tension,” McNamara said.
Her second experiment symbolized what water and detergent are used to clean clothes. She called it “the cotton ball race.”
“They were able to connect the science with every day,” McNamara said. “I really want my (students one day) to not just sit during a lecture.”
McNamara had taken part in the STEM Careers portion of the competition in the past due to the picking limitations from seniority. This was her first year competing in the Future Technology Teacher section.
“I wanted to compete in it since my freshman year,” McNamara said.
But Daniel Boone wasn’t traveling to Georgia. McNamara though wasn’t going to let that stop her.
“I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to do something I’m passionate about,” said McNamara, who drove down with Boyertown’s group of students. “I knew that this competition is the one I’ve been dreaming about.”
McNamara said she wanted to compete in the Future Technology Teacher section since she is hoping to pursue a career in secondary education chemistry.
“I find chemistry fun because it really is all over the place. It’s in everything,” McNamara said. “You get to play with fire.”
And winning the competition seemed to solidify McNamara’s decision.
“(Winning) confirmed that going into education is right for me,” McNamara said. “Education is where I belong.”
McNamara plans to compete again next year, as well.
“I’m excited to defend my title my senior year,” McNamara said.