Seven Whittier Middle School students represented Norman Public Schools at the 2026 Technology Student Association (TSA) National Conference in Washington, D.C., this summer, earning top finishes in several STEAM-related competitions against students from across the country and around the world.
The conference brought together some of the nation’s top students in technology, engineering, computer science and other STEAM fields, with competitors representing all 50 states and three countries. This year’s conference was held in Washington, D.C., during the 250th anniversary year of the United States.
Whittier students spent months preparing for the national competition, developing portfolios, designing projects and refining their submissions before competing against some of the best TSA students in the nation.
Whittier students earned the following national honors:
Construction Challenge — 1st Place: Sameha Ghosh and Kriya Patel
Promotional Marketing — 2nd Place: Sameha Ghosh
Data Science and Analytics — 4th Place: Ilisha Chawla, Alice Qi and Jessie Zhu
Mass Production — Top 10: Sameha Ghosh, Elise Huang, Kriya Patel and Jasmine Wang
Medical Technology — Top 10: Sameha Ghosh, Elise Huang and Kriya Patel
“Reaching the top 10 at the national level is an incredible accomplishment, and our students should be extremely proud of the work they put into these events,” Whittier Computer Science Teacher Dillyn Sprecher said. “They spent months developing their ideas, building their portfolios and preparing for a competition that brought together some of the best students in the country. Seeing their hard work result in multiple national placements is incredibly rewarding, and I’m proud of every student who represented Whittier.”
“Having our students represent Norman Public Schools on a national stage is an incredible accomplishment and a tremendous source of pride for our entire district,” Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Holly McKinney said. “These students are demonstrating what is possible when they are given opportunities to explore their interests, apply their learning and challenge themselves at the highest level. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented Whittier and NPS, and we celebrate the dedication of these students and their teachers.”
The national conference provided students with an opportunity to apply skills they have developed in the classroom to real-world challenges while collaborating, problem-solving and competing at the highest level of TSA competition.
Whittier Middle School is proud of all seven students who represented the school at the 2026 TSA National Conference and their accomplishments on the national stage.