Skylines’ TSA (Technology Student Association) chapter officers recently attended what is called BASIC Training ( Building and Achieving Success in Idaho Chapters). This year’s Idaho Falls BASIC was at the ISU campus in Freeman Park.  BASIC is a two-day conference that started on Sunday night, Sept. 29.  

When the officers first arrived, all the organizations got together to play some team-building games. Then on Monday they attended breakout sessions and learned what it’s like to be a leader for local chapters. 

Some of the most important things BASIC teaches students is communication, teambuilding, and the 5 voices: Nurturer, Connector, Guardian, Creative, and Pioneer.  

Dave Heath, the Skyline adviser said, “It gets the officers in better groups so they know what they are doing and gets a more cohesive group to run our meetings. They did some planning at BASIC, and they plan on introducing a number of things during the chapter meetings.” 

M.J. Martinez (9) was an officer who attended. “It helped because I just got to know everyone better. We did a lot of team building activities and we got a lot more comfortable with each other, and I think if we are comfortable with each other, it kind of lets the new people in the chapter or other people in the chapter that we are friends and cool with each other and we can just make a stronger chapter together.” 

Morgan French (9) also had some valuable takeaways. “It taught me all the different sorts of categories of people in a group, so it kind of explained like who should do what role and it just kind of helped with that so I understand people better and how they work together.”  

Serena Harris (12) also enjoyed the program. “BASIC gave me an opportunity to look forward on how to be a leader. It gave us chances to practice, learn, and grow and everything.” 

TSA was chartered in 1978 and since then it has had almost 4,000,000 student members nationwide compete. The Technology Student Association(TSA)  is a national organization of students engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The student members are challenged to use and improve their STEM-skills in team and individual events. TSA is a way that helps student members get scholarships. Skyline’s TSA chapter is the only TSA Chapter left in Eastern Idaho. Being a TSA member has so many benefits such as enhancing technological literacy, competing on local, state, and national levels, and developing leadership skills through TSA’s  customized program, LEAP (Leadership, Education, Achievement, Personal Growth).

Students interested in joining TSA should talk to David Heath in room 703.