Press Release

FROM: Ann Houston, Communications and Marketing Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education 1500 W. Seventh Ave., Stillwater, OK 74074 Phone: 405-743-5112 Fax: 405-743-5541 e-mail:ahous@okcareertech.org

Oklahoma TSA Leadership and Career Development Conference Many Oklahoma Baby Boomers remember the vocational industrial arts program of the 1960s and 70s – more commonly known as “shop” in junior high. Most boys – not girls – were enrolled in shop, primarily a carpentry and woodworking program. The first American Industrial Arts Students Association Conference, which is the national student organization supporting industrial arts, was held in 1978 – 25 years ago. Oklahoma had four chapters and 99 members. Since 1985, that CareerTech program has been known as Technology Education, and it has a student organization, Technology Student Association (TSA). More than 14,500 junior and senior high school students are members of 212 chapters across Oklahoma. Female membership is about half. In early april more than 2,200 junior and senior high students attended the Oklahoma TSA Leadership and Career Development Conference held at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. This event launched a year of celebration for its 25th year, according to Donovan Bowers, who has been state advisor for TSA since 1990. “TSA today provides students the opportunity for personal growth, leadership skill development and hands-on experiences featuring a wide variety of high-tech career fields,” Bowers said. And, Oklahoma has become known for its leadership, starting with the first national president in 1978. “We’ve had a national officer nearly every year since then,” Bowers said. “Five have been presidents, including Michael Ward, national TSA president 2002-2003, who is a senior at Ninnekah High School.” Conference keynote speaker, Dr. Harvey Dean, is a former industrial arts student and “reformed” troublemaker, graduating from Elmore City High School in the 1960s. “I took four hours of industrial arts, because I’d been kicked out of every other class,” Dean said. “Not that I was a bad kid, just a bored one. But, I’ll never forget the day that my instructor Jim Coffey, saw me standing at the curb, waiting on my parents to pick me up after being ‘dismissed’ from school. He told me to just hang in there, I’d be okay in life.” That made an impression on Dean. He did hang in there. His life did turn around. Dean became an educator and taught junior and senior high school and at the university level. He is the founder and CEO of Pitsco, a 30-year-old company with 200 employees. Pitsco is a leading provider of innovative products and curriculum for math, science, and technology education programs, annually touching the lives of more than seven million students nationwide. Conference competitive events focus on the TSA goals of preparing young Oklahomans to cope with technological changes, to build leadership skills, and explore career choices, Bowers said. Those who qualified at the state level will attend the National TSA Conference, from June 25-29 in Orlando, Fla. “With computers, robotics and lasers becoming a vital part of today's society, TSA allows students to explore a wide range of careers and trains them to meet the challenges of the future," said Bowers. “Written tests and competitive events range from technology problem solving and computer applications to desktop publishing and dragster racing.” During the conference, students will compete in 32 events. Some of these events are: marine design challenge and sailboat races, building an architectural model of a school for 800 students, agriculture and biotechnology design, engineering design and medical technology.               Chris Ward, 7th Grade, Weatherford Middle School student Participanting in the Transportation Challenge. posted 4/18/03 Related Links Conference Image Gallery Technology Education Pitsco

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