We are working hard for our students! Read on to find out more information about all the amazing things we’ve been up to and discover opportunities to get involved with us!
Demo Day
On 03/06 we held our virtual Demo Day 2021. During the event our middle and high school students across Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Marion Counties competed with their projects for this year’s challenge “Design for Equity & La Familia.” We tasked our students with interviewing a client and designing something that allows their client to overcome a barrier. Our students then developed innovative solutions to empower their client using the principles of human-centered design and invention education. Watch the recording of the event here and check out the amazing work our students have done during this school year!
PWA Expo
On March 16th-17th MESA partnered in the NW Youth Career Expo hosted by The Portland Workforce Alliance. The Expo welcomed MESA students over the age of 13 and share with them opportunities to virtually connect to the community, “visit” career booths to learn about different organizations and engage with professionals. Find out more about the event here!
OMSI Family Science Night
On March 11th from 6-7:30pm we held our virtual OMSI Family Science Night in partnership with OMSI to offer our families a free night of science and learning at OMSI. We are so grateful for this partnership and are looking forward to more opportunities with OMSI. You can check out a recording of the event here!
Family Nights
During the month of April we welcome our families to participate in virtual family nights focused on STEM and preparing for college. We are excited to welcome OMSI to host our STEM activities this year! Our Family nights will be happening every Wednesday in April for both Middle and High School students, in English and Spanish. Families can register here!
College and Careers Visits
We have had 3 career visits and 1 college visit for our students during our Winter Term. MESA held visits with Mahlum Architecture, Simplexity, Digimarc, and Oregon State University this winter to engage our students in STEM college and career opportunities. We are hosting two more college visits this spring with Oregon Tech on 4/13/21 and Mt. Hood Community College on 4/19/21. Encourage students to attend the upcoming visits and watch recordings! Check out the recordings on YouTube and sign up for the new ones here!
HDC Training Open to the Public
For the first time, MESA is opening up our invention training to educators and program providers. In June, we will be hosting a Human Centered Design Training in June. Stay tuned for more information about cost and dates. We would love to see you there!
Spring Institute
MESA is holding our Spring Institute on 4/10/21 and a makeup Institute on 4/17/21 from 9 am- 12 pm. Join us to learn more about MESA Day. Our agenda includes: A Demo Day Reflection, MESA Day overview, Regional Breakouts, Micro Bits. Register for the Spring Institute here.
MESA Schools Recruitment
We are now accepting applications for MESA Schools Programs for the 2021-22 School Year! MESA is currently in the following schools. Do you want to bring a MESA Schools Program to your area? Check out our flier for more information about qualifications and how to start a program. Please feel free to share with qualifying school partners. Complete a Letter of Interest by April 30th!