During MESA Day 2026 we announced all the amazing winners of Oregon MESA’s 2026 Each One Teach One State Engineering & Design Competition! This year’s competition highlighted student innovation rooted in real community partnerships, as teams worked throughout the year with local clients to identify challenges and design meaningful, real-world solutions inspired by the Each One, Teach One theme. From accessibility and education to health, culture, and community safety, these student-led engineering projects reflect the power of STEM learning in action. The first-place teams will go on to represent Oregon at the end of June at the MESA USA National Engineering and Design Competition in Baltimore, showcasing their work on a national stage.
🥇 Middle School State Champions – Team K.O.L.D from Parkrose Middle School
Project Title: Project PONCHOS: Portable, Outdoor, Non-expensive Cooling & Heating Operating System
Team K.O.L.D designed Project PONCHOS, an affordable and accessible temperature-regulating poncho created to support students experiencing discomfort during extreme weather. Through interviews with school staff and research on housing insecurity and climate-related stressors, the team identified that many students in their community lack access to adequate weather-appropriate clothing, impacting both comfort and learning.
Their solution focuses on a low-cost wearable system that uses heating and cooling elements to help regulate body temperature depending on environmental conditions. Built with durability and affordability in mind, the poncho is designed to be lightweight, easy to store, and accessible for everyday school use. The heating system activates in cold conditions using embedded heating pads, while small fans support cooling in warmer weather. At an estimated material cost of approximately $12, the design prioritizes equity and accessibility for low-income students while directly addressing comfort, inclusion, and student well-being.
🥇 High School State Champions – GTW from Early College High School
Project Title: C.O.S.M.O – Collaborative Observing Social Management Object
Team GTW designed C.O.S.M.O., a collaborative interactive console created to support social connection and emotional development in special education classrooms. After working closely with a local special education teacher and drawing on their own experiences, the team identified a need for tools that help students build trust, communication skills, and peer relationships in early learning environments.
Their solution is a dual-sided, arcade-style console powered by a Raspberry Pi coding device, featuring collaborative games designed to encourage interaction rather than competition. Students engage through tactile controls and structured gameplay that rewards cooperation and shared problem-solving. The system is intentionally designed to be safe, inclusive, and adaptable for students with diverse needs, including sensory considerations and emotional regulation support. By prioritizing connection over competition, C.O.S.M.O. supports both learning and relationship-building in a structured, engaging environment.
🥈 Middle School Second Place – Team Glory-ous Girl from Parkrose Middle School
Project Title: A Fun and Accessible Piano for Everybody
Team Glory-ous Girl created a 3D-printed piano designed to make music education more accessible and engaging for beginners. After researching barriers such as high instrument costs, learning difficulty, and lack of access to traditional pianos, the team focused on simplifying the learning experience while maintaining the essential feel of a real instrument.
Their prototype features a compact 7-key system representing the C–B scale, built using key switches connected to a microcontroller that triggers accurate sound output. The keys are designed to mimic the tactile feel of a traditional piano while incorporating accessibility features such as labeled keys and guided input. By reducing complexity and cost, the project helps beginner musicians build foundational skills in rhythm and scale recognition. The design reflects a strong commitment to lowering barriers in music education while making learning more approachable for students in their community.
🥈 High School Second Place – EcoStep from Liberty High School
Project Title: EcoStep: Increasing Accessibility to Mobility Through a Low-Cost Functional Prosthetic Leg
EcoStep is a low-cost, functional prosthetic leg designed to improve mobility and independence for lower-limb amputees. The team identified cost and limited access as major barriers to prosthetic care, especially in low-income communities where advanced devices can be prohibitively expensive.
Their design uses lightweight, durable 3D-printed materials reinforced with carbon fiber ABS, optimized for strength and comfort. A modular joint system improves flexibility and shock absorption for everyday movement. In addition, the prosthetic integrates a sensor-based feedback system that tracks steps and provides haptic feedback to improve user awareness and mobility. The project focuses on balancing affordability with functionality, offering a more accessible alternative to traditional prosthetics while supporting both physical movement and user confidence.
🥉 Middle School Third Place – MAÆ from Alder Creek Middle School
Project Title: A Neighborhood-Based Mini Pantry
Team MAÆ developed a neighborhood mini pantry system designed to improve food accessibility for families facing financial hardship and fear-related barriers to accessing public resources. Through community research and engagement with local organizations, the team identified that some families avoid food assistance due to concerns about immigration enforcement, leading to increased food insecurity.
Their solution is a secure, 3D-printed lockbox-style pantry that allows food to be distributed closer to where families live. The system includes a sensor-based alert mechanism that notifies a central organization when supplies are low, helping ensure consistent availability. Built to be durable, weather-resistant, and community-centered, the design emphasizes dignity, safety, and accessibility. The project reframes food distribution as a neighborhood-supported system, reducing barriers while increasing trust and access.
🥉 High School Third Place – Rhythm Ribbons from Connected Lane County Springfield
Project Title: Rhythm Ribbons
Rhythm Ribbons is an interactive educational tool designed to help preserve and teach traditional Hispanic folklorico dance. The team identified a growing cultural gap among second-generation Hispanic youth and a lack of access to structured cultural dance education due to limited programming and instructional capacity.
Their solution is a wearable skirt-based learning system that guides students through foundational dance movements using sensors, visual cues, and audio feedback. A handheld controller and microcontroller system help users learn hand and skirt coordination while practicing independently or alongside instruction. The design supports both classroom learning and at-home practice, helping students build confidence in foundational steps. By combining technology with cultural tradition, Rhythm Ribbons helps ensure that cultural knowledge is preserved and passed on to future generations.