2025 NJTEEA Conference Schedule

Check out the 2025 Conference schedule below and begin planning out your day!

Click to download: 2025 NJTEEA Conference Schedule.pdf

RETURNING THIS YEAR - President's Reception!

The President's Reception will be held after the conference in The Cube at Bell Works. At this event, award recipients will be recognized for their achievements, and educators will have an opportunity to mingle with peers and the NJTEEA Executive Board. Please RSVP for this event when registering for the Annual Conference - there is a limited number of people that will be able to attend!

Session Descriptions:

NJTEEA County Representative & Annual Design Challenge Committee Meeting

NJTEEA Executive Board

Join together with the Executive Board and other state and regional representatives to discuss ways to become more active in NJTEEA, as well as the goals for this school year. Interested in being part of this year's annual design challenge? Come to this collaborative brainstorming session to help create the best possible challenges for our students for the 2025/2026 school year!

Woodturning: Winding Today's Standards into Innovative Lab Activities

Dave Potts, Northern Burlington County Regional School District

The wood lathe can be used to create a huge number of products that students in grades from 4 to 12 are capable of producing. Curricular tie-ins can include examining the materials we work with, the layout and geometry that is used in preparing materials, the cultural and historic aspects of wood turning, and the integration of technology in work holding and stock preparation.

Popsicle Sticks, Legos, Solo Cups Oh My! Using EDL K-2

Christine Beaver, Roselle Park School District

Teachers will participate in a session on how to introduce the steps of the Engineering Design Loop to students in K-2, and work through a project that requires Solo Cups, Popsicle Sticks, and Legos

StemCubes & StemStacks: Visual Coding Meets Physical Computing

Frank Cappelle, Ed.D.

StemCubes & StemStacks is an open-source hardware ecosystem designed to bring physical computing and design engineering to life in the K-12 classroom. By integrating the simple, drag-and-drop power of Blockly with a suite of modular electronics, students can build, code, and create interactive projects with ease that support student-built projects. The StemStacks/StemCubes platform empowers educators to use project-based learning with design briefs to tackle real-world challenges, from building automated greenhouses, motion control, wind speed sensing to programming robotic buggies. By providing an easily integrated control element, StemStacks/StemCubes allows students to remain focused on their primary design challenge while still integrating basic physical computing principles. This project is designed and built by a Technology Education teacher for Technology Education teachers.

Technical Theater Roundtable

Jason Orbe, Montgomery High School

Discussion of technical theater elements (sound, lighting, set, costumes, etc). Both in a curricular and extra curricular setting. All welcome, whether experienced, just beginning or interested in getting started!

Creation of an Electric Mini Truck

Ron Grosinger, West New York High School / Shop Class Podcast

Shop teacher Ron Grosinger built an Electric Mini Truck that blends automotive design, metal fabrication, and education. The project shows how a simple concept sketch can evolve into a real, drivable vehicle through CAD modeling and laser-cut fabrication. Students and teachers can learn to design and prototype parts using affordable, accessible methods like tab-and-slot construction and sheet-metal welding. Custom-built battery boxes and a sliding “drill-battery” system highlight creative, cost-saving engineering. This project inspires educators to bring modern electric vehicle technology into their classrooms in a hands-on, achievable way.

Safety Stackers

Tyler Roses, Eastern Regional High School

This presentation is geared for grades 6-12 which incorporates a 2 X 4 Jenga-style game that emphasizes safety test review, hands on manipulatives and fun.. This activity can be adapted to a variety of curriculum. The presentation will cover building your own set, game rules, safety during play, cost and storage. One set will be raffled off at the end of the session.

NJDOE Update on STEM Education in NJ

Mike Buttita, New Jersey Department of Education

The Office of Innovation, within the New Jersey Department of Education, will provide an update on recent initiatives affecting technology and engineering education.

Human Factors Engineering, Where STEM Meets Human-Centered Design

Lisa Tenenbaum, Union County Vocational Technical Schools

More than ever, education is faced with meeting the needs of a technologically advancing economy, where innovation and creativity directly contribute to our ever-changing and fast-paced world. A common goal of engineering and design solutions is to ensure safety, effectiveness, and ease of use while reducing error and influencing human behavior. As perhaps the first high school Human Factors Engineering (HFE) course offered, the course connects to valuable real-world applications with practical hands-on project-based learning, Human-Centered Design (HCD) experiences, transferable soft skills, that align perfectly with twenty-first century STEM initiatives. For high school students, this learning experience is an untapped opportunity waiting to be introduced and explored for the first time. This workshop will discuss the value of a HFE course to TE and CTE education and how to adapt HFE to a high school curriculum environment. The workshop lecture and activity take-away will reinforce hands-on analysis, decision making and redesign methods, with Q&A discussion to follow.

Revolutionary STEM- Celebrating America's 250th Through Stories and STEM

Holly Romahn, Hardyston Township Elementary School

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with hands-on STEM challenges inspired by Revolutionary-era heroes and powerful picture books. Explore engineering, coding, and mapping activities that bring stories like Gingerbread for Liberty and A Spy Called James to life—connecting history, literacy, and innovation in fun, meaningful ways. For grades K-5!

Technology Education and iSTEM: Leading the Way for Change in Education

Vince Walencik, Lifetime Achievement recipient, NJTEEA

Advocating for your Technology and Engineering Education program can feel at times like an uphill battle—especially when trying to gain support from administrators and fellow educators. This session will provide you with a framework based on historical and future societal needs, helping you build a compelling case for your program’s relevance and impact. We’ll explore how a technologically driven society demands interdisciplinary approaches to innovation—and how Technology and Engineering Education is uniquely positioned to meet that challenge. You, as a Technology Education instructor, are already sparking the change in education that is long overdue. Our time has come!!!

Exploring Biotechnology

Matthew Garrera, Madison High School

Join us for an exploration of the fascinating world of biotechnology! This presentation will cover a variety of topics, including hydroculture for sustainable food production and the incredible advancements in prosthetics that are changing lives. We'll also explore other exciting class topics, demonstrating how biological principles are applied to solve real-world problems.

Teach LEAN - Organize Your Shop and Hit Your Standards

Kevin Wit, Northern Burlington Regional School District

How I introduce and teach LEAN manufacturing concepts to my woodshop students in order to get them to think about efficiency and continuous improvement in the workplace. The history of the Toyota Production System and basic concepts of LEAN are covered with presentations and examples. This unit culminates with students planning and producing a "Kaizen" (good improvement) project for the woodshop.

Technology Education for All

Clare Domitrowski, William Annin Middle School

Small changes to your projects can help all students be more successful in your class. For example, how to use jenga blocks for “up with the books” or “leaning tower of pong” to quickly conceptualize the idea of a large footprint being more stable. Bring some project ideas to share!

Administrator Roundtable

Matthew Konowicz, Northern Burlington County Regional School District

Collaborate with others who supervise Technology and Engineering Education programs like you! Discuss teacher recruitment, curriculum ideas, helpful resources and how to manage AI in education.

CNC Machining Does NOT Need to be Challenging

Jason Erdreich, Erdreich Innovations, LLC

Join educator, author, and patented inventor Jason Erdreich as he shares new developments and innovations for simpler CNC machining suitable for the 6-12 Classroom! In this action lab, attendees will get hands-on with new CNC's and CAM software developed through a collaborative effort between Erdreich Innovations and Makera Inc, an innovative desktop CNC manufacturer. We'll look at how just about any design, part, or file can be prepared for machining out of virtually any material in just a few clicks, as well as offer sneak peaks for what game changers are on the horizon too!

Tool Analysis, Design & Fabrication

Dave Potts, Northern Burlington Regional School District

This session is geared to provide examples of common shop hand tools that can be analyzed to determine how they operate, how adjustments are made, how the tools can be fabricated in a school shop setting and how each device can be stylized by its student designer team. Materials will include wood, 3D printer filament, metal cutting blades, and some liquid resin for stabilizing wood.

TSA Tips for Success & Achievement

Sherry Roses, Howell High School TSA Advisor & NJTSA Regional Coordinator

Marissa Dolch, Memorial Junior School TSA Advisor

This session is geared towards 6-12 grade teachers who are interested in tips for successful Technology Student Association Chapter Competition. Topics discussed will include; what TSA is, competition levels, competitive events, state vs. national guides, documentation, rubrics, and things to avoid to prevent disqualification.

Video Production & Multimedia Design Roundtable

Matthew Konowicz, Northern Burlington Regional School District

This roundtable is for educators who want to integrate or improve video production and multimedia design in their curriculum. We'll share and discuss lesson plans, equipment recommendations, and connections to relevant vendors. Whether you're a seasoned video pro or a complete novice, you'll leave with new ideas and resources to implement immediately.

From Concept to Creation: Mathematical Designs with your Laser Engraver

Miri Rubin, Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy

A laser printer can be an excellent tool to plan and execute mathematical designs that incorporate concepts, such as scale, modeling, geometry, and tessellations. Come and brainstorm together about how this tool can be used in the math classroom.

Essential Approaches to STEM Engineering & Technical Skills for Success in the Real World

Stephanie Stern-Protz, North Bergen STEM Academy

This session explores two vital needs in STEM Education; the need to work on actual projects in hands-on engineering and technology skills every student should master before high school graduation. And the mental acuity to elevate the student’s approach to the working world as a meritorious learner; encompasses their diversity, culture and unique capabilities. Using critical thinking, students engage in real-world project-based challenges, where they learn to not only approach the project itself, but interact with educators, professionals and mastering equipment and research skills. This allows them a more practical, and future-ready approach to other subjects and skills, regardless of prior technical background.

Materials Processing Roundtable

Nick Beykirch, William Annin Middle School

This discussion will focus on the under-appreciated side of running a materials lab. The processes of procuring materials, equipment, maintenance, time management, and safely accomplishing these tasks within the school ecosystem can be quite challenging. Please join to share your experiences (positive and negative), ask questions, or just pick up a few tips hopefully.

Engineering with Empathy in Elementary

Briana Miller, Harrison Township Elementary School

In this session, we will discuss Engineering education in an elementary level classroom with an emphasis on empathy. We will explore the application of the Engineering Design Process (Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Improve) through several building projects completed in a STEM classroom at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade levels.

2025 Conference Events