The information provided here 1) features updates/corrections to middle school and high school competitions and 2) highlights contest guidelines that may be easily overlooked.

General Rules (MS and HS)
Unless otherwise designated in a competition’s eligibility guideline, the maximum size of a team is six (6) members.

General Rule U (MS and HS level)
Hazardous materials, chemicals, lighted or open flames, combustibles, wet cell batteries, and other similar substances are not allowed at the national TSA conference. Competition entries or presentations by participants must not include racial or ethnic slurs/symbols; reference to gang affiliation; vulgar, violent, subversive, or sexually suggestive language or images; or guns, knives, or weapons. In addition, entries or presentations should not promote products that students may not legally buy, such as tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs.

During the 2012-2013 school year, and for the 2013 national TSA conference, the Student Copyright Checklist is required for the following high school level competitions only:

Digital Video Production

SciVis

Video Game Design

Webmaster

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HS CNC Production

Regulations

Documentation

1)    A standard three (3)-ring binder, with a clear front sleeve for a cover page, is required. The cover page must include the event title, the conference city and state, and the year. The inside of the binder must include the following single-sided, 8½" x 11" pages, unless noted, in this order:

a)    Title page with the event title, the conference city and state, and the year; one (1) page

b)    Table of contents; one (1) page

c)    A single view drawing of each work piece, including dimensions used to detail all parts of the car, with an identifying leader and a label; one (1) 11" x 17" page for each of two solutions; maximum of two (2) pages; pages should be folded to fit in binder

i)  Wheels

ii) Lever

iii) Frame of body

iv) Other parts to be machined

d)    Isometric assembly drawing; one (1) 11" x 17" page for each of two solutions; maximum of two (2) pages; pages should be folded to fit in binder

 

HS Open Source Software Development

Regulation A. 4 should read:

Description of the team’s open source project, including the problem and the solution for the problem; an explanation of the project’s social or educational value, or how it enhances an existing open source project; up to two (2) pages

Add a new regulation between Regulation A.5 and A.6:

Regulation A.6 (new)–

Documentation of the use of a software development process, including the following:

a. Project requirements; one (1) page

             b. High-level software design; one (1) page

c. Implementation, including a printout of code written for the project; pages as needed

d. Testing, including code output and desired results; pages as needed

RUBRIC --- Change Software Design heading and subtotal to 70 points

1) Replace Software Design criteria, Incorporation of design principles with

Software Coding Practices (X2):

Minimal – The project was not developed following general software coding practices (requirements, design, implementation, and testing).

Adequate – The project was adequately developed and followed most general software coding practices (requirements, design, implementation, and testing).

Exemplary – The project was extremely well developed and followed general software coding practices (requirements, design, implementation, and testing).

2) Change TOTAL POINTS to 170

HS Technology Bowl

Regulations, Written exam:

Regulation A.3, which states that late participants are disqualified and restricted from the test area, has been eliminated.

 

HS Structural Engineering

Procedure for Fabrication, page 291

G.2. The continuous width and height will be two inches (2”).

Partial revision to HS Structural Engineering rubric
HS Technology Problem Solving

Procedure B.7 should read:

7.  six styrofoam trays; trays should be no larger than 8" x 10"

 

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MS Digital Photography

Regulation A.1.b.ii. on page 102 should state:

• One candid photo
• One still life photo
• One posed portrait
• One photo of the student’s choice

The album layout on page 106 should include two more pages before the Resource page:

1) Page 8 – Description of the fourth original, unedited photograph and the edited version of the photograph (student’s choice) that will be on page nine; explain in detail (3-4 paragraphs) how the fourth photograph was changed from the original to the edited version.

2) Page 9 – Unedited photograph #4 and edited photograph #4 (student’s choice)

The album should have a total of ten pages, plus the cover page.

3.) On page 106 in the MS guide (Digital Photography Album Layout), Page Eight should read:

Resource page

Describe in a list the type of camera, software and computer system used to complete the album.

MS Flight

The required drawing noted in the guidelines is a technical pencil drawing and not a sketch

Note the following additional requirement for the notebook:

Regulation, C.4. Two photographs, one of each glider.

MS Global Manufacturing  

Total points awarded for Documentation: 80 points

Total points awarded for Product: 40 points
 

MS Inventions and Innovations

Procedure (Conference) A

A.    Participants check in their entries at the time and place stated in the conference program. No more than two (2) team members may check in the entry. The only entry items checked in at this time are the documentation notebook and the USB flash drive with the multimedia presentation.

         Note: Participants who qualify as semifinalists must bring their entry prototype/model to the semifinalist interview.
 

MS Problem Solving

Procedure D should include two more items:

8. six feet (6’) duct tape, wrapped on a pencil

9. two (2) standard file folders

 

MS Structural Engineering

Please note:  Should two (2) or more regulations be marked noncompliant on the Official Rating Form/Rubric, the structure will not be tested.MS Tech Bowl

Procedure D. on page 259 should state: All team members take the written exam. The twelve (12) top-scoring teams qualify as semifinalists. A semifinalist list is posted.

Regulations, Written exam:

Regulation A.2, which states that late participants are disqualified and restricted from the test area, has been eliminated.

MS Transportation Systems

The testing device for transportation systems will be conducted using a four (4) inch rain gutter.  The gutter will be similar in shape to the one found at this link: http://tinyurl.com/85nhnac