Summer's Rewards

By Clarice Doyle, Claremore Daily Progress
July 14, 2006
Reprinted with permission

Sixteen-year-old Tiffany Tannihill will be starting her junior year at Claremore High School this fall with a new sense of confidence boosted by her recent winning experience at the 26th Annual Technology Student Association’s national conference in Dallas.

Tannihill and Shawn Swatek received national first place awards in the five-day leadership training and competitions event with over 5,000 students from more than 30 states in attendance.

Overall, 13 of the 14 members of the combined Will Rogers Junior High and Claremore High School TSA Chapter finished in the top 10 of eight different competitive events.

“Claremore was the only TSA Chapter in the state to receive a national championship and they received two,” David Isenbart said. Isenbart is the technology instructor and chapter advisor.

Tannihill received first place in Chapter Team Written parliamentary procedures; Swatek received first place in Technology Bowl Written competition.

All of the Claremore students had either finished first or second at the earlier state-level event which qualified them for national competition.

Other national winners were Kaitlyn Clements’ third place in Chapter Team Written parliamentary procedures; Tannihill, Danielle Culp, Josh Dexter, Amber Cole, Angelica Ochoa and Melissa Schwartz, who received sixth place in Chapter Team Oral parliamentary procedures; Clements, Andrew Isenbart, Matt Lanig, Josh Williams, Colton Crain, Forrest Eddings, who received sixth placed in Chapter Team Oral parliamentary procedures; Clements and Lanig also received fifth place in Challenging Technology Issues debate; Swatek, Andrew Isenbart and Forrest Eddings received fifth place in Technology Bowl Oral; and Swatek received fifth place in computer applications.In addition to their winnings, the Claremore TSA Chapter competed in flight challenge, graphic design challenge, structural challenge, technology problem solving, prepared speech, extemporaneous presentation, leadership challenge and system control technology.

Shawn Swatek (left) and Tiffany Tannihill (right), first place winners in national technology competition with third place winner Kaitlyn Clements. Thirteen junior high and high school students placed in the top 10 at the Technolgy Student Association conference in Dallas.

TSA partnered with the American Cancer Society to complete a national service project. Conference attendees participated in the TSA/ACS Relay for Life.

Claremore teens were awarded the Crystal Award for raising over $1,500 for the American Cancer Society.
Tannihill, who is the daughter of Bonnie and Darrold, said this year’s national conference experience has taught her to “be more out there.”

“I’ve always been a shy person, but I’ve learned to be more talkative, how to meet new people and be a leader,” Tannihill said.

During the conference, the DuPont Leadership Academy and state groups provided leadership training.
Tannihill has been a TSA member since junior high and serves as the club’s reporter.
Source: David Isenbart, CHS technology instructor