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About 500 students from 22
central San Joaquin Valley schools will participate in the Mathematics
Engineering Science Achievement Program Saturday Academy on Feb. 21, at
California State University, Fresno, part of National Engineers Week
(Feb. 15-21).
The students – from 6th to 12th grade – have an opportunity to try
hands-on math and science projects – robotics, rockets, propeller
airplanes, earthquake engineering, windmills, bioengineering and hot air
balloons. High school students also will attend presentations on college
admissions and careers in engineering.
The academies are designed to introduce students to projects they may
not see in their regular classrooms and excite them about science,
technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
MESA hosts four Saturday academies each school year, thanks in large
part to an Innovation Generation Grant from the Motorola Foundation.
MESA also receives support from the Lyles College of Engineering at
Fresno State and from numerous student organizations whose members
volunteer as college mentors at the event. The upcoming academy is the
final one for this school year.
The MESA Schools Program helps motivate and prepare disadvantaged
students, especially those from underserved populations, to pursue
courses leading to professions requiring degrees in engineering and
other math- and science-based fields.
Fresno State's program began in 1980 and continues to expand – both in
the number of students and the number of schools served.
For additional information on Fresno State MESA, contact Louie Lopez or
Kristin McCoy at 559.278.2976 or
lolopez@csufresno.edu or
krmccoy@csufresno.edu.
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