Reminders - Semifinalist Interviews & Live Contests

Published by Lauren Lapinski on April 11, 2021

As you prepare for semifinals and live contests this week, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Advisors have access to the Zoom room links in iServices. They are purposely not published on our website for security reasons.
  • Aim to enter the Zoom room at least 10 minutes prior to your start time. Please be patient in the waiting room. You will be admitted as soon as possible.
  • Before entering the Zoom room, change your name to your PA-TSA ID#.
  • Be prepared to turn on both your camera and sound. Communicating only in the Zoom chat will detract from the quality of interview and will likely negatively impact scores.
  • Participants should be dressed professionally for all semifinalist interviews and live contests. Failure to do so may result in a rules violation.
  • Backgrounds in Zoom should be professional and nondescript. Any identifying characteristics (name of participant and/or school) can result in a rules violation. 
  • The general rules and regulations published by National TSA specify that all team members should participate in the semifinalist interviews. While PA-TSA would like to have as many team members as possible participate in the semifinalist interviews, only a minimum of two team members will be required. One team member should be prepared to screenshare, if called for by the event. If, however, the number of participants is specified by the rules (i.e. Leadership Strategies, Chapter Team), that number must be met to avoid a rules violation.
  • The content of a semifinalist interview can vary. Consult the rules for specific details for each event. If nothing is specified, the format of the interview is left to the judges’ discretion. Some judges jump right in with questions for participants to answer, whereas others prefer participants to start by talking about their project before getting into questions/answers.
  • Multiple events may share the same Zoom room. A room monitor will be using break-out rooms to allow for separate spaces for each event.