Skyline’s Tech Club is up and running, with them already starting preparation for the state Technology Student Association (TSA) competition in the spring.
Luca Dalcanto, the club’s president, spoke about the preparation process for TSA, saying, “Our big event is in March and we’re preparing all year, but we have some events that don’t take long to prepare at all, so people can join at any time.”
One of the differences of Tech Club to other clubs is the wide array of competitions that TSA offers; members are allowed to specialize and pursue one or several competitions that interest them. Micah Tien expanded upon the diversification of skills in the Tech Club by saying, “In a bunch of team projects in other areas it will be like everyone sort of has the same skill set, so everyone can do everything, but, in Tech Club, people get to specialize.”
Another benefit to Tech Club is the ability to get experience in a field or even a job that students would like to pursue after high school. The club’s vice president, Jenna Tran, said, “A lot of these events add to your resume and portfolio and help you gain experience.” As well as giving students experience in a field that interests them, Tech Club’s competitions can also help them decide what they would like to do after high school. Tran said, “I’ve done data science for three years and got semifinals at nationals, and, during that time when I was doing my data science projects, I found out that I really do like data science, and I also think that by exploring different events you can figure out what you want to do with your life.”
Tech Club has fostered an environment that encourages students individually or part of a team to pursue events that they are passionate about. Knowing this is a feature that isn’t as strongly encouraged in other clubs, Tran said, “Tech Club just has so many fun and different events from different opportunities and competitions, so try whatever you want. Whatever you think is interesting, just go ahead and try it. There’s no harm in trying something new; there’s only harm in holding back.”
