Manalapan TSA

A Club For Nerds, By Nerds

Held once a week, every week, Manalapan TSA offers students the ability to engage in fascinating STEM projects that foster learning, inspire creativity, and drive passion for technology.



How It All Began

Manalapan TSA began in September of 2012, when 3 seniors banded together to bring a new technology based club to Manalapan High School. Their goal: engage the school in meaningful, yet enjoyable, technology activities and education. From the very beginning, the seniors paved their own path, recruiting a newly hired teacher as an advisor. They chose a classroom regularly used to teach technical drawing and CAD, and began to advertise to the school. Soon enough, they had a regular group of meeting-goers, and began to grow into one of the largest clubs in the school. Students, both those who had previous interest in STEM classes, and those who just wanted to see what TSA had to offer, found themselves at TSA meetings every Tuesday afternoon, practicing programming, design, engineering, and whatever else they sought to learn from the club. Over the next years, the club kept expanding, drawing in members from all sectors of the student body.


And So, We Grew...



Who We Are

Manalapan TSA is now one of the largest clubs in Manalapan High School, with nearly 50 members attending meetings. Students work on a multitude of projects, both personal and competition. Design challenges are a routine form of friendly competition, where members gather in groups to think creatively, design efficiently, and budget resources economically. Further, students make use of the immense resources provided by the school to learn new techniques and expand their abilities. The club routinely fundraises, and has truly developed a community for those interested in science, technology, and engineering.

Our Resources

Over the course of several years, and with the assistance of the school administration, the club has amassed quite a few tools to use and love.

3D Printer

3D printer allows for the printing of models made via CAD, for use as parts or as independent projects. It also allows for the study of strengths of various materials, budget planning, and machine maintenance.

Laser Etcher

A high-powered laser etcher is perhaps the crown jewel of the club, with the ability to cut woods, metals, and plastics. The etcher has been of use not only as an incredibly powerful tool for projects, but a fantastic fundraising agent. By etching out valentines from thin pieces of wood, the club was able to reach out to the school body and raise a tremendous amount of money. Further, the laser etcher has allowed students to gain valuable experience with computer modeling and material budgeting.

Drill Press, Band Saw, and the Jig Saw

Along with standard hand-held tools, the club makes use of two different drill presses, a band saw, and a jig saw in our woodworking pursuits. The tools allow for fast, precise, and safe woodworking. Comprehensive safety testing prior to the use of tools teaches club members safety, and projects and small tasks give all members valuable experience in working with tools.

Standard Tools and Resources

Taking shelter in the school workshop, the TSA club has access to all sorts of odds and ends in terms of tools. Extra wiring, soldering kits, screws, scraps, and various extra materials make projects of all sorts possible.

Our Projects

CAD Designed Car

Using valuable CAD skills, learned via experimentation in the club, students were able to design mock-ups of an aerodynamic car, and improve upon those models within the computer system. The 3D printer was then used to make physical models of the mock-ups, and these plastic models were tested for speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Wooden Valentines

As part of a Valentine's day fundraiser, club members assisted in drawing up valentines, which were then modeled using the CAD system, and etched onto a thin piece of wood using the laser etcher. The valentines were sanded, additionally cut using the jig saw, and sold during lunch.





But What's Next...



The Future

Manalapan TSA has come far in its 4 years, but the sky is truly the limit. As we continue to expand, fundraising is as important as ever, thus continued planning of fundraisers is key. Also important is recruitment of new members, even as the club grows, for when there is active participation, all club members are happy. As the TSA chapter expands, we must keep ties with the school strong as well, and work closely with our advisor and the administration to keep TSA growing strong. We must continue to engage in the community, bringing technology education to both young and old. Volunteer outreach, technology assistance for the elderly, and robotics for kids are all planner future events, which will establish a name for Manalapan TSA in the community. Finally, we must continue to engage in meaningful and enjoyable projects, and strive to make TSA an unforgettable experience for all who step foot into our club. TSA has come far in the past 4 years, and for the next 4, we must continue to inspire passion for technology in our members. It is the future, and our duty to the prosperity of our nation.

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