The Technology Students Association at Watauga High School is starting a new school year, buoyed by the success from its fourth-place win this summer at national conference competition.

The team traveled to Nashville, Tenn., in June, thanks to donations from Shirley Enterprises, ECR Software Corporation and Mast General Store.

The students were able to attend the national conference based on their successes at the regional and state competitions.

At the NCTSA regional competition at Appalachian State University, Owen Dowell placed second in the scientific and technical visualization contest, where he designed a 3-D, multifaceted computer facility using Google Sketch-Up.

Cheyenne Underwood placed second in the extemporaneous presentation competition, where she gave a presentation on the “Race to the Top.”

Nathan Shirley, Andrew Thorp, Joey Tibbett, Matias Horst and Evelyn Webb took home first place in the video game design competition.

Watauga’s TSA chapter then traveled to the state competition in Greensboro, where the video game design team once again took first place.

The “dream team” of WHS students designed an entirely original video game in which the main character, Rob the robot, collects spare rocket parts to escape from the ravaged Earth after the humans left it destroyed by overconsumption and wasteful use of natural resources.

Shirley programmed the game, Horst composed the music, Thorp created the artwork, Webb wrote the backstory and in-game plot, and Tibbett organized the documentation.

Underwood, the chapter’s president, provided the leadership that held the team together through brainstorming, planning and creating the final project.

The TSA Club started at Watauga High School last school year under the leadership of Deborah Jean Sheets, a technology education teacher. The club offers opportunities for learning and practicing skills in several types of technology.

A new class will soon be offered at WHS called game art and design to help students learn skills related to the $18 billion video game industry.

The TSA club is open to all interested students and will have its first meeting after school Aug. 29 in Room 2102.