During MESA Day we announced our 2025 State Champions for our Designing for Environmental Sustainability Challenge: The Cyclones from Parkrose Middle School and team MAPO from Early College High School. At the end of June these talented young inventors will be traveling to San Diego, CA to compete in the MESA USA National Engineering and Design Competition (NEDC). During the four-day event, hosted by California MESA, our winners will get to meet MESA students from all over the country, exploring together the theme of Designing for Equity Locally to Affect Sustainability Globally. Learn more about our 2025 State Champions and how their inventions are making a difference in the environmental sustainability field in Oregon.
Middle School 2025 State Champions
The Cyclones from Parkrose Middle School took first place in the competition with their innovative Water-Cycle invention, a water wheel that generates energy from rainwater collected in household gutters. Inspired by conversations with Danny Love from Portland General Electric, the team learned that power grids can be vulnerable during storms and are not always designed with equity or sustainability in mind. Recognizing that nearly 700 million people globally live without electricity and that poverty exacerbates the effects of power loss, the Cyclones focused on people who cannot afford costly energy alternatives like solar panels but still need reliable power during outages.
Their Water-Cycle uses rain to produce usable electricity through a water wheel connected to a generator. The device includes a micro:bit sensor that tracks voltage and battery levels, giving users a clear read of how much energy they have available and encouraging conservation. It comes in multiple sizes to fit different downspout configurations, ensuring flexibility and ease of installation for various homes. The materials were selected to be both durable and low-maintenance, keeping the system user-friendly and sustainable.
By harnessing renewable energy from storms, the Water-Cycle helps offset the effects of grid failures and provides a clean, backup power source for essential household needs. Its thoughtful design and low-resource requirements make it especially valuable in underserved or rural communities. The project reflects the team’s commitment to addressing global inequalities in energy access while promoting a more sustainable, resilient future. We are so proud of their work and can’t wait to see their accomplishments at the NEDC!
High School 2025 State Champions
Team MAPO from Early College High School earned first place with their project Tofucool, a solar-powered water temperature regulation system designed to combat thermal pollution and water scarcity. The idea was sparked by team member Panha, who noticed unusual behavior in the fish in her backyard pond caused by elevated water temperatures. The team began investigating the effects of elevated water temperatures in our environments, and through a conversation with Sonya Patino, a technical program manager at Microsoft, they discovered the environmental toll of AI data centers, particularly their immense water and energy demands for cooling.
Tofucool directly addresses these challenges by cooling overheated water before it reenters natural ecosystems, helping to prevent thermal shock in aquatic life like salmon and steelhead, which rely on cool water temperatures for survival and reproduction. The device operates through a solar-powered pump-radiator loop managed by an Arduino microcontroller, and includes a waterproof temperature sensor for automated regulation. Its sleek, compact design allows for flexible installation in locations like parks, irrigation systems, and protected habitats.
By using renewable energy and minimal materials, Tofucool reduces reliance on fossil fuels, minimizes strain on water resources, and offers a sustainable, scalable solution for both urban and rural communities. The team hopes their innovation not only protects local ecosystems but also raises awareness about the environmental consequences of emerging technologies. With water temperatures already rising globally, Tofucool presents a timely and practical response to one of the lesser-known effects of the AI and data revolution.We are so proud of team MAPO and know their ingenuity will get them far!
The 2025 MESA USA National Engineering and Design Competition (NEDC) would not be possible without the generous support of our MESA USA sponsors: IIA, Club for the Future, Berkeley Lab, SDSU, Carollo, Uber.
