Ballinger Employees Judge Student Technology Competition

Ballinger architect Annamarie Knighton and marketing coordinator Jason Garwood recently served as judges for the New Jersey Technology Student Association (TSA) state competition. TSA is a national organization supporting STEM education and career interest.  Held every spring at The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey TSA Conference includes 30 competitive events in an expansive set of categories like fashion design, architecture, engineering, and board game design. 

“As an alum of the Technology Student Association, being a judge is an opportunity to help celebrate the next generation of creative engineers and architects,” said Jason, a 2017 first prize-winner in the 2D architecture competition. “Looking back, the friendly-yet-fierce culture of TSA helped me stay grounded during the impending challenges I faced while studying and pursuing a career in architecture.” 

Annamarie is also an alum of the organization and was delighted to be a part of this confidence-building endeavor for TSA students. “Being on the other end as a judge was so rewarding because I know, firsthand, how much time and effort it takes and how invested the students are. As I watched the students drop off their models, they were so full of excitement and pride,” she said, “It was great to provide them with feedback so they can continue to grow as designers and prepare for college and beyond.”