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The Ithaca High School and DeWitt Middle School Technology Student Association (TSA) clubs have launched a crowdfunding campaign in an effort to make it possible for all club members to attend the 2014 TSA national conference, regardless of their financial situation. Held in Washington, D.C. this year, the TSA national conference brings together 5,000 of the best and brightest technology students from around the United States and from other countries for five days of wide-ranging competitions. The campaign goal is to raise $5,000 in order to enable all interested Ithaca TSA club members to attend.  The campaign runs through May 16, 2014.

William Sauve, Ithaca High Technology and Engineering Education instructor and TSA adviser said, "The students have all been working hard to prepare for the national competition, and we have high hopes that this crowdfunding campaign will eliminate cost as a barrier for all our students to make the trip."

The campaign is part of a pilot project coordinated by IthacaSTEM Advocates, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) affiliate supporting STEM education in the Ithaca City School District (ICSD). Crowdfunding involves asking individuals in Ithaca and around the country to help out with small donations — it’s just like the AIDS Ride for Life and Hospicare’s Women Swimmin’ fundraisers. The pilot is being hosted on the Ithaca-based PEAKS crowdfunding platform, run by Cornell Cooperative Extension. If this campaign is a success, other IthacaSTEM Associates and IPEI affiliates will be able to use it in the future for their fundraising efforts.

IthacaSTEM secretary Adam Engst said, "With the significant pressures on IISD budget, it's important that IthacaSTEM develop alternative fundraising techniques for the numerous STEM-related clubs and groups in ICSD. Crowdfunding has great potential, both for involving many more people in the success of our students and in bringing money into Ithaca from the outside world. We're also especially happy that we were able to work with an Ithaca-based crowdfunding platform, Cooperative Extension's PEAKS."

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