Manatee Students Dominate TSA State Championships

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:

• Manatee District Schools swept the top-four places in the High School CAD, Architectural and Animation Event with Braden River High School taking first and second; Manatee High School taking third and Southeast High taking fourth.

• Manatee District Schools took six of the top 10 places in High School Flight Endurance with Lakewood Ranch High taking first and third; Manatee High taking second, Braden River High taking fifth and Southeast High taking sixth and eighth. 

• Manatee District High Schools swept the Photographic Technology with Southeast taking first, Braden River taking second, Bayshore taking third and Lakewood Ranch taking fifth.

• Manatee District Middle Schools swept the top-four places in the Middle School Dragster Design Event with Nolan placing first and third and Haile placing second and fourth. 

• Manatee District Middle Schools garnered four of the top seven places in Middle School Inventions and Innovations with Johnson Middle placing second, Braden River placing third, Nolan placing fifth and Haile placing seventh.

• Manatee District Schools swept the Middle School Promotional Design Event with Nolan taking first and second, Sugg taking third, Johnson taking fourth and Harllee taking fifth. 

For a complete listing of results, visit the Florida TSA website at www.FloridaTSA.com