Coastal Middle School

Coastal Middle School Technology Student Association Attends CORE and Wins!

Each September, the Georgia Technology Student Association hosts an intense weekend retreat in Covington, Georgia for local chapter officers. This retreat, fittingly called C.O.R.E., stands for the Chapter Officers Retreat for Excellence. Centered on the goal of teaching leadership skills and teamwork attributes, this year’s theme was “Shaped for the Job.” The weekend provided the students with workshop opportunities, obstacle and high ropes courses, a talent showcase, chapter team competition utilizing parliamentary procedures, Statesman’s Test administration, and entertainment venues to enhance camaraderie among local chapters across the state.

The real “core” of the weekend is the Plan of Work for the upcoming year. Local chapters work tirelessly for hours negotiating and discussing community service projects, fundraisers, educational opportunities, competitive events, and social functions. The students are encouraged to create the plan with efficiency and effectiveness at the forefront. The final plan is submitted to the state officer team for assessment, evaluation, and judging.

Eight Coastal Middle School chapter officers attended the retreat, along with advisor Jim Glenn, and for the second year in a row they out-planned and out-performed every other middle school chapter in the state. Their Plan of Work again received the top rating in the state, allowing the chapter to win a Wal-Mart gift card to spend at their discretion. Bella Axelsson performed an Irish Dance at the talent showcase and received a standing ovation from an audience of over 500 TSA members, advisors, and alumni. Four of our officers: Joseph Frankosky, Patrick Glenn, Tamar Nowell, and Thomas Redman enhanced their teamwork skills by “leaps and bounds,” as each of them climbed a four story telephone pole, stood on top of it, and leaped into space to grab a ball ten feet away. Bella Axelsson, Ben Crumbley, Sarah Gattis, and Katie Lum kept the team spirit going as they challenged other chapters to a muddy obstacle course race. Bella Axelsson, Patrick Glenn, Katie Lum, and Tamar Nowell also passed the Statesman’s Test, receiving the coveted pin displaying their knowledge of the intricate history and processes of the Technology Student Association.

Coastal is also proud to be the home school of the only middle school state officer in Georgia T.S.A. Patrick Glenn represents all middle school TSA members at the state level, serving in the elected position of Second Vice President. Coastal Middle School TSA will continue to strive for excellence as our chapter officers build on the knowledge and skills that they acquired through CORE. Congratulations to our officers, our advisor, and to the Coastal Middle School family.