Delaware students shine at national technology conference in Nashville

The national tech event was held from June 27 to July 1. (Photo courtesy of the Delaware Department of Education)

Delaware’s top STEM students returned home with national accolades after competing in the 2025 National Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference held last week in Nashville.

A total of 160 students from 17 Delaware schools participated, showcasing their skills in cutting-edge fields like biotechnology, cybersecurity, and engineering alongside nearly 10,000 peers from across the country and abroad.

The event featured over 65 competitive events where students applied real-world problem-solving to technology challenges — a testament to the state’s focus on career and technical education (CTE).

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Several Delaware teams placed in the top 10 nationally. Students from Selbyville Middle School placed 4th in System Control Technology, and H.B. DuPont Middle School secured two top-10 finishes in Tech Bowl (7th) and Children’s Stories (8th).

Students from Postlethwait Middle School and Cab Calloway School of the Arts also earned recognition in Video Game Design and Cybersecurity, respectively.

The delegation was led by the 2024–2025 Delaware TSA State Officer Team, all of whom played key roles in guiding and motivating their peers throughout the week. The team includes James Carroll (president), Shreyas Chittimalla (vice president), Laksh Patel (secretary), and Nathan Hryniewicz (treasurer) from Newark Charter Senior High School, Elisha Liu (reporter) from Appoquinimink High School, and Zach Barnas (sergeant-at-arms) from Caesar Rodney High School.

Three Delaware educators were honored for their leadership in advancing STEM education:

Laura Barnas fromPostlethwait Middle School, was named National Middle School Chapter Advisor of Excellence.
Gerald Sheridan from the Indian River High School, received the High School Chapter Advisor of Excellence award.
Mike Fitzgerald from the Delaware Department of Education, was named 2024 National TSA State Advisor of the Year, marking his 15th year as state advisor.

Delaware students participated in a wide array of competitions, from robotics and software development to flight endurance and fashion design — underscoring the diversity and depth of the TSA’s offerings.

TSA is a national nonprofit that engages over 300,000 middle and high school students in STEM-based leadership activities and competitions in the U.S. and abroad.