Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) teams competed April 11 in the regional Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) Showcase at North Point High School. MESA is designed to prepare students for academic and professional careers in mathematics, engineering, science and technology.

Teams that earned a first-place award at the Charles County regional event advance to the state-level competition next month. The advancing teams are from William A. Diggs, Malcolm and Dr. Samuel A. Mudd elementary schools, John Hanson and Piccowaxen middle schools and La Plata, Henry E. Lackey and St. Charles high schools.

The state competition — MESA Day Showcase and Awards Ceremony — is May 3 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab Campus in Laurel.

First-, second- and third-place teams in each challenge at the regional showcase receive awards with the first-place team of each challenge advances to the state competition.  

Elementary-school teams compete in four challenges including the Storybook Theme Park Ride Challenge, Community Clean-Up Challenge, Planetary Lander: An Expanding Structure Challenge and Wearable Technology Challenge.

Middle and high school challenges include the National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC) Challenge, Community Clean-Up Challenge, Planetary Lander: An Expanding Structure Challenge and Wearable Technology Challenge.

The following teams placed at the elementary-school level:

Community Clean-Up Challenge

• Diggs, first place.
• Malcolm, second place.
• Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, third place. 

Planetary Lander: An Expanding Structure Challenge

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

Wearable Technology Challenge

• Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School, first place.
• Malcolm, second place.
• Mitchell, third place.

Storybook Theme Park Ride Challenge

• Malcolm, first place.
• Diggs, second place.
• Berry Elementary School, third place.

The following teams placed at the middle-school level:

Community Clean-Up Challenge

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

Planetary Lander: An Expanding Structure Challenge

• Piccowaxen, first place.
• Mattawoman, second place.
• Hanson, third place.

Wearable Technology Challenge

• Piccowaxen, first place.
• Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, second place.
• Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA), third place.

National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC) Challenge

• Piccowaxen, first place.
• Mattawoman, second place.
• PISOTA, third place.

The following teams placed at the high-school level:

Community Clean-Up Challenge

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

Planetary Lander: An Expanding Structure Challenge

• La Plata, first place.

Wearable Technology Challenge

• St. Charles, first place.
• North Point, second place.

National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC) Challenge

• La Plata, first place.
• St. Charles, second place.
• North Point, third place.

 

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 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 Dr. Mike Blanchard, 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).