BAY MINETTE — Barely two weeks after a stunning performance at the state Technology Student Association Leadership Conference, Bay Minette Middle School’s TSA members have already set their sights on a second consecutive trip to the national competition.

“I figure our principal, (Tammie) Fleming, who joined us at competition, will get a call from (Superintendent Alan) Lee asking about our higher power bills because we were in BMMS seven days a week.  But I think it was worth it. Then there is the strong showing of our former middle school members returning to work and prepare alongside us,” said TSA adviser Bill Allen, likening the atmosphere to “two surreal Santa’s workshops” with students sitting “shoulder to shoulder” cranking out award-winning project after project.

BMMS not only won the Level 1 state championship during an intensive, three-day competition in Tuscaloosa earlier this month but also brought home the Outstanding Chapter of the Year, after winning more than half of the first-place categories. In addition, Kayla Waite was named Student of the Year, Allen was named Adviser of the Year and the program was honored for having the most individual winners.

“I am proud of our successes and our growth as an academic presence in the Bay Minette community and Baldwin County,” Allen said. “One reason for our success as a chapter and my success as an advisor comes from the benefit I experience collaborating with my fellow TSA advisor, John Hope, our computer technology teacher. In a club consisting of 86 seventh- and eighth-grade members plus advising 20 high school TSA students, the requirements and responsibilities to instill willingness, ownership, and responsibility toward their academic and intellectual pursuits could not be reached without our close cooperation. So this award and recognition really is a reflection of our team effort as teachers, our students’ efforts to exceed what they think is their best effort, and the support and dedication of parents, grandparents, and people from our community who supported us through various ways they could,” Allen said.

In all, the BMMS team nabbed 39 top 10 wins, including 12 first-place showings, six second-place awards and four third-place nods.

Central Baldwin Middle School’s team placed second in the division, and Fairhope Middle School took third place.

Of course, success is rarely cheap, and the BMMS team has already set about raising funds for the June 21-26 national TSA competition in Dallas. The trip is expected to cost about $900 per student. In 2010, BMMS students placed in the top three at nationals.

In turn, Kahalley House in Bay Minette will host a benefit lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, with 20 percent of the proceeds generated during that three-hour window benefitting the TSA travel funds for both BMMS and Baldwin County High School.

“Several TSA students will be on hand Sunday to discuss the various programs and competitive events, and we’re all very appreciative of Rhonda Cockrell and the Kahalley House for their assistance in fundraising for TSA students to attend their second national competition,” Allen said.

Cockrell, who owns Kahalley House, said the buffet lunch will include chicken alfredo, salad, garlic bread, tea or soft drinks and a choice of desserts. The cost of Sunday’s buffet benefit is $12 for adults and $6 for children 12 and younger. Take-out plates can be ordered by calling (251) 709-8220.

Tina Covington with the North Baldwin Coalition for Excellence in Education said Sunday’s lunch is one of several Cockrell has scheduled in the coming months benefitting a variety of school-related organizations.

Allen said he’s just happy the process gives students the firsthand opportunity to “observe professionals as they collaborate, compromise and present opposing sides and differing approaches to reaching goals through project based learning.”

“With two advisers we believed we had an opportunity to be involved in every technical or academic competition involving technology,” he said. “County and State TSA Conferences and Southwest Regional Technology Fair, Science Olympiad, we wanted to test ourselves. It also provides more opportunities for students to showcase their skills and talents.  Each competition and the competitors is a story in itself.  We are not always successful in terms of winning but in terms of accomplishment we are a success story.” 

BMMS results:

r Career Prep: first, Brooke Emmons; third, Kela Wilson; eighth, Erika Kelly.

r Communication Challenge: fourth, Brooke Emmons; fifth, Claire Stewart; sixth, Erika Kelly.

r Digital Photography: first, Mariah Moody; second, Sarah Barnett; fourth, Rebecca Lankford.

r Electronic Gaming: (Team 1) first, Jeffrey McKillion and Hunter Heathcock; (Team 2) fourth, Kela Wilson, Morgan Watkins, Skyler Wagner and Wiley Wilson.

r Engineering Structure: (Team 2) fourth, Jonathan Davis and Skyler Wagner.

r Environmental Focus: (Team 1) first, Courtney Ganey, Kela Wilson, Tucker Clay and Mariah Moody; (Team 2) second, Jacob Moorer, Kendall Miller, Laura Owen and Miranda Moody.

r Flight: seventh, Jimmie Johnstone; ninth, Jason Davis.

r Graphic Design: first, Sarah Barnett; fourth, Miranda Moody; fifth, Michaela Robertson.

r Inventions and Innovations: first, Jacob Moorer, Miranda Moody, and Natalie DeJongh.

r Lights, Camera, Action: (Team 2) first, Jessie Brooks, Lauren Fenner, Aaron Jones and Morgan Watkins; (Team 1) fourth, Amber Bowden, Courtney Ganey, Josh Holiday and Rebecca Lankford.

r Prepared Speech: second, Josh Holiday; third, Kayla Waite.

r Problem Solving: (Team 2) seventh, Cory Steadham and Cody Emmons.

r Safety Illustration: second, Erika Kelly; third, Claire Stewart; fifth Mariah Moody.

r State Pin: first, Sarah Barnett; fifth, Claire Stewart; eighth, Brooke Emmons.

r Tech Bowl: first, Jacob Moorer, Laura Owen and Matthew McClain.

r TSA Cup: Marine Design Challenge: (Team 2) first, Aimee Hadley, Bailey Emmons, Sarah Day and Devin Bedsole; (Team 1) second, Cory Jerkins, Faith Allen, Tim Simpson, Nikki Boyington and Will Ellis.

r VEX Robotics: (Team 1) first, Aimee Hadley, Cody Emmons, Cory Steadham and Michaela Robertson; (Team 2) third, Hunter Heathcock, Jeffrey McKillion, Julian Buckner, Tucker Clay, Keith Dubose and Robbie Shiver.

r Write Now! Technical Writing: first, Jacob Moorer; second, Natalie deJongh; fourth, Sarah Barnett.BMMS’s results from the state competition are as follows:

r Career Prep: first, Brooke Emmons; third, Kela Wilson; eighth, Erika Kelly.

r Communication Challenge: fourth, Brooke Emmons; fifth, Claire Stewart; sixth, Erika Kelly.

r Digital Photography: first, Mariah Moody; second, Sarah Barnett; fourth, Rebecca Lankford.

r Electronic Gaming: (Team 1) first, Jeffrey McKillion and Hunter Heathcock; (Team 2) fourth, Kela Wilson, Morgan Watkins, Skyler Wagner and Wiley Wilson.

r Engineering Structure: (Team 2) fourth, Jonathan Davis and Skyler Wagner.

r Environmental Focus: (Team 1) first, Courtney Ganey, Kela Wilson, Tucker Clay and Mariah Moody; (Team 2) second, Jacob Moorer, Kendall Miller, Laura Owen and Miranda Moody.

r Flight: seventh, Jimmie Johnstone; ninth, Jason Davis.

r Graphic Design: first, Sarah Barnett; fourth, Miranda Moody; fifth, Michaela Robertson.

r Inventions and Innovations: first, Jacob Moorer, Miranda Moody, and Natalie DeJongh.

r Lights, Camera, Action: (Team 2) first, Jessie Brooks, Lauren Fenner, Aaron Jones and Morgan Watkins; (Team 1) fourth, Amber Bowden, Courtney Ganey, Josh Holiday and Rebecca Lankford.

r Prepared Speech: second, Josh Holiday; third, Kayla Waite.

r Problem Solving: (Team 2) seventh, Cory Steadham and Cody Emmons.

r Safety Illustration: second, Erika Kelly; third, Claire Stewart; fifth Mariah Moody.

r State Pin: first, Sarah Barnett; fifth, Claire Stewart; eighth, Brooke Emmons.

r Tech Bowl: first, Jacob Moorer, Laura Owen and Matthew McClain.

r TSA Cup: Marine Design Challenge: (Team 2) first, Aimee Hadley, Bailey Emmons, Sarah Day and Devin Bedsole; (Team 1) second, Cory Jerkins, Faith Allen, Tim Simpson, Nikki Boyington and Will Ellis.

r VEX Robotics: (Team 1) first, Aimee Hadley, Cody Emmons, Cory Steadham and Michaela Robertson; (Team 2) third, Hunter Heathcock, Jeffrey McKillion, Julian Buckner, Tucker Clay, Keith Dubose and Robbie Shiver.

r Write Now! Technical Writing: first, Jacob Moorer; second, Natalie deJongh; fourth, Sarah Barnett.