Hoffman Middle School Technology Student Association Teams Advance to State Competition

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Sirrianda and Jeremiah (bottom right, l-r)

Hoffman Middle School‘s Technology Student Association (TSA) students recently competed at the regional event. The state-qualifying competition took place at Atascocita Middle School. Two students won their event. They and several other students advanced to the state competition.

Two teams represented the campus. They competed in a problem-solving challenge to design a track for a marble to roll down. The marble had to stay on course taking the longest time possible. It had to do so without stopping or rolling off the track. Sirrianda Mbianda and Jeremiah Thompson were the winners of the middle school challenge. They beat out Hoffman Middle School’s second team competing in the challenge by approximately five seconds. Hoffman was the only middle school in the region competing in the challenge.

Hoffman Middle School TSA students Nicole Franco, Bobianna Hill, Elijah Kearney and Nicholas Adams also advanced to the state event after placing at regionals.

Richard Houdek is proud of the students. Houdek serves as the TSA sponsor at the campus. He is also a career technical education teacher. Houdek shared that the two Hoffman teams are the first in the school’s history to advance to the state competition.

“I am extremely proud to have such hard working youth on our team,” Houdek said. “The students are putting in the time and focus to give it their best at the state event. And more importantly, they are learning and using essential STEM skills.“

TSA competitions encourage students to apply their knowledge of skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Each year, the students focus on an annual theme. The National Academy of Engineering designs the challenges. The goal is to have students develop original academic and innovative designs to succeed in the challenges. To excel, students must use critical job-readiness skills. These include teamwork, analytical thinking, and multi-dimensional problem solving skills.

Houdek hopes the students success will inspire others to take part in TSA.

The Texas TSA State Contest is set for April 9-11 at the Waco Convention Center.

AISD offers the entire IB contiuum — Primary Years Program, Middle Years Program and Diploma Program. Hoffman Middle School is one of four campuses to offer the Middle Years Program.