Last week, a bus load of weary but victorious Knox County Technology Student Association (TSA) students and teachers arrived at West Town Mall around midnight.

SPEAK (Students, Parents, Educators Across Knox County) teachers Christina Graham (Kindergarten, Copper Ridge Elementary) and Lynn Schneider (retired) prepared goody bags for all 42 TSA students and their teachers returning home from the TSA National Competition in Washington D.C.

Graham and Schneider joined Knoxville state Reps. Gloria Johnson and Roger Kane, TN Senate District 7 candidate Cheri Siler, and a few others to give the kids and teachers a hero’s welcome home.

The Knox County TSA students came home with top 10 awards in 9 out of 10 events. Every year they finish in the top 3 or better, with the 50 states and Germany competing.

Karns Middle student Jordan Parker won 1st in Communications Challenge, and the Karns Team came in 2nd in Agriculture and Biotechnology, 2nd in Community Service Video, and 2nd in Challenging Technology Issues.

Bearden Middle students Elizabeth Babb and Perian Reese won 1st and 2nd in Chapter Team Written and Elizabeth Babb won 2nd in Career Preparation. (All events can be seen at tsaweb.org)

They also placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier while in Washington D.C.