BRADENTON – Students from the Manatee County School District dominated the “35th Annual Florida Technology Student Association State Competition” held last week in Orlando. Out of 222 event trophies given for placing first, second or third in competition events, Manatee District students captured 109, easily outdistancing all other school districts in Florida. It was the eighth-straight year Manatee District captured more trophies and earned more top-10 finishes than any other school district in the state.
Braden River High placed first overall among high schools, Southeast High placed second, Lakewood Ranch third, Manatee High fifth and Bayshore High finished 10th. In the Middle School competition Nolan Middle School placed first overall, Johnson Middle third, Braden River Middle fourth, Haile Middle sixth and Sugg Middle ninth.
The state TSA competition consisted of 72 competitive events representing a wide range of technology and engineering skills from animatronics to website design. Close to 350 students and teachers from 14 Manatee County schools participated and brought home 650 Top-10 Finishes, becoming the only school district to place in the Top 10 in all 72 standard competitive events.
“I am very proud of our students, teachers and administrators whose hard work and dedication resulted in these outstanding accomplishments,” said Superintendent Rick Mills. “Manatee County is a national leader in career and technical education and we are doing a wonderful job of preparing our students for a competitive global workforce.”
Manatee District schools that competed included: Bayshore High, Braden River High, Lakewood Ranch High, Manatee High, Southeast High, Braden River Middle, Buffalo Creek Middle, Haile Middle, Harllee Middle, Johnson Middle, King Middle, Lee Middle, Nolan Middle and Sugg Middle.
State Competition Highlights Included:
For a complete listing of results, visit the Florida TSA website at www.FloridaTSA.com