Bayfield High School students competing in the Technology Student Association (TSA) took a major step toward the state level on January 13, 2026, during an unofficial regional competition held at Durango High School’s Impact Career Innovation Center. The event brought together students from neighboring districts for a full day of project presentations, interviews, and hands-on challenges designed to mirror the rigor of the TSA State Conference.
Although TSA does not host formal regional competitions, Bayfield used the event as a qualifying opportunity for its students to refine projects and determine which teams would advance to state. According to Bayfield High School engineering teacher and TSA advisor Brian McDonagh, 18 Bayfield students competed, and 14 earned qualification to represent the school at the Colorado TSA State Conference in February.
“This was really about students competing against themselves to represent Bayfield High School,” McDonagh said. “It gave them a chance to refine their projects, get feedback from industry partners, and gain confidence before state.”
Now in its seventh year at Bayfield High School, the TSA program continues to grow, building on recent success at the state and national levels. Last year, three Bayfield teams placed second at state and advanced to the national competition. That momentum has translated into increased participation and stronger preparation this year.
“Success is building more success,” McDonagh said. “We’ve seen more students get involved, and I’m really proud of the work they put into their projects and the way they represented themselves, their families, and our school.”
Leadership, Learning, and Real-World Skills
The regional event featured competitions across a wide range of categories, including robotics, system control, animatronics, CAD engineering, manufacturing, dragster design and technical debate. Students also participated in mock interviews with industry professionals, allowing them to practice explaining their designs, defending decisions, and receiving constructive feedback.
Beyond the technical challenges, the event emphasized leadership and collaboration. Bayfield TSA officers planned and executed the closing ceremony, giving students an opportunity to demonstrate organizational and public-speaking skills in a professional setting.
TSA President Tyler Berry said the organization offers students exposure to nearly every area of STEM.
“We cover pretty much all technology — robotics, computer science, CAD engineering — basically anything under STEM and engineering,” Berry said. After discovering engineering classes as a sophomore, he joined TSA as a junior and quickly found a sense of belonging.
At regionals, Berry competed in robotics and system control, qualifying in both categories. He described the event as both competitive and social, noting the value of connecting with students from other schools while gaining experience outside the classroom.
Vice President Taj Houpt echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the independence TSA gives students.
“You do everything on your own,” Houpt said. “It’s all you, trying to create the best design for competition.”
Houpt competed in robotics, animatronics, and system control, using the regional event to test designs and improve performance ahead of state. With multiple years of TSA experience, he said preparation becomes more strategic over time, and mentorship plays a key role.
“Higher-level engineers can mentor lower-level engineers,” he said. “I love improving my design and helping other people out with theirs as well.”
Built In-House, Built with Pride
Treasurer Wyatt Hefner, a longtime robotics enthusiast, said one of Bayfield’s strengths is its commitment to designing and building projects entirely in-house.
“Everything is CAD designed and assembled by our students,” Hefner said. “That’s less common at the statewide level, where many teams buy kits.”
That approach, he said, gives Bayfield students an edge during interviews and showcases their technical literacy.
“We take pride in being the underdog,” Hefner said, noting that he qualified for nationals last year with a fully student-built robot. “It’s super cool to see something students built from scratch perform at that level.”
A Place for Everyone
For many students, TSA also provides a welcoming entry point into engineering. TSA member Kylynd Parrish said he initially hesitated to join, believing he needed to be “smart enough,” but quickly discovered that curiosity and effort matter more than prior experience.
“You don’t have to be smart to join TSA,” Parrish said. “Just join with what you have and what you can bring to the table.”
Parrish qualified for state in robotics, system control, and animatronics, with system control standing out as his favorite due to its hands-on assembly challenges.
First-year TSA member Julian Polanco also qualified in robotics and animatronics and said the experience exceeded his expectations.
“It turned out to be much more fun and interesting than I thought,” he said. “You can imagine something, and it becomes a reality.”
Looking Ahead to State
Bayfield students who qualified at the regional event will now prepare to compete at the Colorado TSA State Conference, scheduled for February 19–21, 2026, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora. Students who place at state may advance to the TSA National Conference this summer in Washington, D.C.
As preparations continue, McDonagh said the value of TSA extends far beyond trophies.
“Some students gain confidence, some develop new skills, and all of them grow,” he said. “They collaborate, connect with industry professionals, and discover what they’re capable of. That’s what makes this program so special.”
Students attending the regional competition included Tyler Berry, Taj Houpt, Wyatt Hefner, Kylynd Parrish, Julian Polanco, Riley Murphy, Parker Perkerewicz, Reese Appenzeller, Kaiden Smith, Kohlden Young, Aiden Tipton, Calvin Nabors, Simon Miglinas, and Cooper Beeman. Alex Alsum, who has taken STEM and engineering classes at BHS but is not a member of TSA, attended to capture the day’s highlights in photographs for the yearbook.
