On May 16, 2025, hundreds of students, teachers, volunteers, and community members came together at Portland State University’s Viking Pavilion for Oregon MESA’s culminating event of the year: MESA Day 2025. The annual celebration brought together young minds from across the state to showcase ingenuity, creativity, and commitment to a sustainable future.
From the student invention symposium , to hands-on challenges, college tours, and a bustling career fair, this year’s theme of Designing for Environmental Sustainability came to life through the inspiring work of our Oregon MESA students. Check out photos from the event at our MESA Day 2025 Photo Gallery or keep on reading to learn more about this amazing event.
Invention Symposium and State Competition
The day kicked off with the Invention Showcase, where students competed for the esteemed title of State Champions. From solar-powered water heaters to energy-efficient window shades and innovative pyrolysis reactors, the exhibits demonstrated bold thinking and a passion for environmental problem-solving.
Next up was the Spring Challenge Competition: Operation Clean Sweep. Students were tasked with engineering devices to remove both macro- and microplastics from simulated aquatic environments —without disrupting the underwater ecosystem. Their solutions were nothing short of remarkable, blending scientific understanding with real-world impact.
Students also spent the day diving into hands-on challenges that brought science and engineering to life. They danced their way through green chemistry with DJ Prashant of Dance United, built earthquake-safe structures with OMSI, and explored vintage electronics dating back to the 1950’s with the VintageTEK Museum team. With PSU’s Robotics Lab, students designed Knex robot cars to race through obstacle courses, while the WET Lab introduced them to wind tunnel experiments inspired by seal whiskers. Teamwork took center stage in “Sieve-U-Play,” a fast-paced coordination game with ping pong balls, and PGE Project Zero offered a look into how our power grid works. Project LEDO rounded out the fun, with students coding bots and tackling real-world challenges alongside high school mentors.
Special Guest Open House
Though MESA Day is a student-focused event, a few special guests were invited to attend a private open house. Guests learned about MESA’s impact and heard moving remarks from MESA alum Tyler Doby, a three-time national competitor who began his journey in 2021 at Parkrose High School. Now a University of Oregon student and a local MESA mentor in Lane County, Tyler spoke about how his experience in MESA shaped his dreams and has been a constant support throughout his academic career.
Awards Ceremony
After a day full of learning and fun, students gathered for the Awards Ceremony. This year’s ceremony was especially meaningful as we honored long-time MESA advisor Melanie Ramsey, who is retiring after 40 years of service. In her honor, the annual MESA Day Advisor of the Year Award will now be named the Melanie Ramsey Advisor of the Year Award. The ceremony also celebrated our wonderful winners:
Dorothy and Jerome Lemelson Student of the Year Award: Adan S. from Mazama High School. Adan’s teacher, Ms. Chelsea Wedam shared how he consistently showed up, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally for his team, his teacher, and his own growth. Adan brings a positive attitude to everything he does. He encourages his teammates, helps keep projects on track, and is always the first to lend a hand when things get hectic.
Oregon MESA Spirit Award: Jimena H. from McKay High School. The MESA Spirit Award is given to a student who truly embodies the heart of MESA, someone who lifts others up, shares what they know, and shows up with curiosity, kindness, and integrity. Jimena’s teacher Jay Wiley shared how she has been a strong advocate and spokesperson for the MESA program at McKay throughout the year. She always puts in great effort supporting her team, and supporting her as a whole.
Oregon MESA Mentor of the Year Award: Anne N. Anne is a current MESA senior who has been serving as a mentor at Parkrose Middle School. The advisor at Parkrose Middle said Anne has been a leading force who has been fundamental in keeping the chapter thriving. She puts in tons of time and completely represents the MESA mission.
Melanie Ramsey Advisor of the Year Award: Jill Myers from Lincoln Middle School. This teacher has showcased an incredible commitment to getting MESA started at her school. It is her first year as an advisor and she has taken so much initiative to learn what there is to know, to support students in challenging themselves, and to ensure her chapter continues to thrive next year and beyond.
Oregon MESA Inaugural Impact Award: Christian Leigh. Jess Augden, the advisor for Alder Creek shared how Christian has been a driving force behind Alder Creek’s MESA team—helping students turn their ideas into real, working projects. Despite a demanding career and regular travel, he rarely misses a meeting. He drives long distances, stays in close contact between sessions, and even covers project costs out of pocket when needed.
Operation Clean Sweep Challenge Elementary School Division Awards
- 1st – Lewelling Elementary: Team Lewelling
- 2nd – Lewelling Elementary: The Minions
- 3rd – Lewelling Elementary: The Final Brain Cell
Operation Clean Sweep Challenge Middle School Division Awards
- 1st – Ockley Green Middle School: Renegade Girls
- 2nd – Alder Creek Middle School: Hey Mermaid
- 3rd – Alder Creek Middle School: Real Tortas
Operation Clean Sweep Challenge High School Division Awards
- 1st – North Salem High School: Team Duck
- 2nd – North Salem High School: Nerdles
- 3rd – North Salem High School: Trinity and the Culverts
Designing for Environmental Sustainability: Middle School State Champions
- 1st – Parkrose Middle School: The Cyclones
- 2nd – Alder Creek Middle School: M.E.L.T.
- 3rd – Cascade Middle School: The Wetlanders
Designing for Environmental Sustainability: High School State Champions
- 1st – Early College High School: MAPO
- 2nd – Parkrose High School: HOMiES
- 3rd – Early College High School: Burnout
Stay tuned for our upcoming blog featuring the State Champions as they prepare to represent Oregon at the MESA USA National Engineering & Design Competition in San Diego, CA this June!
College & Career Fair & Senior Party
After the ceremony, students explored our College & Career Fair, where colleges and companies from all over Oregon shared pathways into STEAM careers. We also hosted an exciting Senior Party, where over 30 graduating MESA students received senior cords, certificates, and learned how to stay connected as MESA alumni.
Thank You
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers. Over 50 volunteers contributed their time, talent, and energy, providing feedback to students, taking photos, guiding activities, and helping make the day run smoothly. Your impact is deeply appreciated.
We also want to extend a special thank you to our sponsors. Thank you to our Premier Sponsor, the Lemelson Foundation who has been making a lasting difference on invention education for years, cultivating the next generation of impact inventors, and strengthening the supporting systems that allow invention-based businesses to thrive. We are so grateful to OMSI, our dedicated Visionary Partner, and the Tygh Valley Group, our Innovation Sponsor, who has been a dedicated and consistent MESA champion through the years. Thank you to our Builder Sponsors, the Oregon Community Foundation, PGE, the Braitmayer Foundation, and all of our dedicated supporters.
We are so grateful for you!