Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) teams recently competed in the regional Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) Showcase held March 31 at North Point High School. Overall winners were selected at the elementary-, middle- and high-school levels.

Maryland MESA is designed to prepare students for academic and professional careers in mathematics, engineering, science and technology.

“MESA stood out to me, and my favorite teacher was running it,” Mohamed Keita, a North Point junior, said. “Once I joined, I really loved the challenge and thought it was amazing.” Like Keita, Cinthia Calderon-Alfaro, a fourth grader at Eva Turner Elementary School, thought MESA sounded like an interesting activity. “It was something new I could try out,” she said. “When we come to competitions, we can test our project and learn how to make it better.”  

Teams that earned a first-place award at the Charles County regional event advance to the state-level competition. The advancing teams are from Malcolm, William A. Diggs and Walter J. Mitchell elementary schools; Matthew Henson, Benjamin Stoddert and Piccowaxen middle schools; and Henry E. Lackey High School, which took first place in the three high school challenges.

The state competition — MESA Day Showcase and Awards Ceremony — is May 13 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab Campus in Laurel. First-place winners at the state competition will advance to the national event in June.

First-, second- and third-place teams in each challenge receive awards and one overall winner is chosen at each level. The teams that earn the most points throughout the competition are chosen as the overall winners. Elementary-school teams compete in four challenges: Mobile App, Storybook Theme Park Ride, Wearable Technology and Expanding Structure.

The following teams placed at the elementary-school level:

Mobile App

• Malcolm, first place.
• Diggs, second place.
• Mitchell, third place.

Storybook Theme Park Ride

• Malcolm, first place.
• Mitchell, second place.
• Diggs, third place.

Wearable Technology

• Diggs, first place.
• Mitchell, second place.
• Malcolm, third place.

Expanding Structure

• Mitchell, first place.
• Malcolm, second place.
• Diggs, third place.

Middle-school teams compete in four challenges: Mobile App, Wearable Technology, Expanding Structure and the National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC).

The following teams placed at the middle-school level:

Mobile App

• Henson, first place.
• Piccowaxen; second place.
• Stoddert, third place.

Wearable Technology

• Stoddert, first place.
• Henson, second place.
• Piccowaxen, third place.

Expanding Structure

• Henson, first place.
• Piccowaxen, second place.
• Mattawoman Middle School, third place.

NEDC

• Piccowaxen, first place.
• Henson, second place.

High-school teams also compete in three challenges: Mobile App, Expanding Structure; and NEDC.

The following teams placed at the high-school level:

Mobile App

• Lackey, first place.
• North Point, second place.

Expanding Structure

• Lackey, first place.
• La Plata High School, second place.
• North Point, third place.

NEDC

• Lackey, first place.
• North Point, second place.

The program’s goals are to increase the number of engineers, scientists, mathematicians and related professionals at technical and management levels; and to serve as a driving force in encouraging and assisting minorities and females in achieving success in these fields. For more information about MESA, go to https://secwww.jhuapl.edu/stem/mesa.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,598 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).