Industrial Technology students brought hardware home from the Regional International Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education Association Conference at the Branson Convention Center Oct. 9-11.

Awards were received by Jake Miller, Garret Zink, Ryan Burns, Brice Montgomery and Jacob Henderson.

Miller received second place in problem solving; third place in live manufacturing and fifth place in the Technology and Engineering Education Collegiate Association (TEECA) challenge. Montgomery received third place in live manufacturing. Henderson received second place in problem solving, third place in robotics and TEECA challenge. Zink received third place in live manufacturing.

Greg Vander Weil, technology teacher education coordinator, and Greg Worner, construction instructor, both attended the conference and helped with the preparation of the team for the competition.

“Everyone competed really well,” Vander Weil said. “Compared to the size of the other schools that compete it’s impressive that we can preform at such a high level, we’re really good.”

Vander Weil and Worner agreed that networking and sharing ideas is a huge gain from these events for both students and teachers.

All the students who traveled to Branson are on track to become industrial tech teachers, and government leaders passed legislation to promote more students to choose careers in science, technology, math and engineering.

“That’s why we attend competitions,” Worner said. “To ensure we have enough math, science and engineering skills in order to help the students become better teachers in their field.”

In preparation for the competition, the group focused on problem solving. They believed it was the toughest event. The group also practiced with small drones.

The members of the team plan on attending the national Industrial Technology Engineering Education Association (ITEEA) conference in Dallas in March.

The group members plan to have more time to prepare for the competition, and hope to go with in-service teachers at different high schools, including the Nebraska outstanding teacher of the year, Wayne State graduate Adam Skrdla, who teaches industrial technology at Hastings High School.