Over this past weekend, Littleton High School students competed at the Technology Student Association (TSA) state competition at the Marriott in the Denver Tech Center. Members competed in all types of events, from fashion design to CAD engineering. A few students won first place in the state for their events.
Seniors Caleb Schmitz, Felix Stookesberry, Logan Tombari, Vince Lucas, and Ben Ryan won first place in the silent film event. Over the course of two weeks, they produced their entry. This entailed creating a short film with no dialogue.
“Our silent film was a superhero parody called ‘Tuba Man.’ We wanted to take elements from other films and combine them into one thing. It’s sort of a comedy piece that incorporates our passion for music as well,” said Schmitz.
A unique feature of their film was the music. While most groups produce their music online, Ryan and Stookesberry composed original music for the film and recorded it.
“It was all recorded. That’s what got us the most points—recording actual music instead of just generating a MIDI file. Most people don’t go through the effort of having it performed and recorded,” said Ryan.
Ryan not only placed first in the silent film team, but in CAD engineering as well.
“The CAD engineering event mainly tests your ability to work with CAD software; the event mainly focuses on the more advanced features,” said Ryan.
Though CAD engineering requires experience, there are events for everyone in TSA. It’s a great way to meet new people and cultivate friendships.
When asked his favorite part about the production process, Tombari said, “Honestly, just hanging out as friends.”
Not only is TSA an opportunity to develop your skills and build expertise in tech, but also a place to enjoy yourself and make memories. Schmitz shares his favorite part of TSA participation.
“Going to the state conference every year. It’s such a fun experience. It offers the thrill of competition and also the fun of hanging out with friends. It’s great all around.”
There’s a place for everyone in TSA. If you’re at all interested in technology, it’s a great place to meet like-minded people and cultivate your skills.