Craik, Somers, North Point named top MESA schools

Eight Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) teams placed in the elementar y Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) competition held Friday, March 31, at North Point High School, according to a release. Student teams compete in competitions that test their abilities in mathematics, engineering and science.

Dr. James Craik Elementary School was chosen as the overall elementary school winner. This is the fourth consecutive year that Craik has earned the overall school award. Awards are given for first-, second- and third-place teams in each challenge and one overall elementar y school winner is chosen. The school that earns the most points throughout the competition is chosen as the overall winner and advances to the state level.

As the overall elementary school winner, the Craik team advances to the state competition scheduled for May 18 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel.

Teams from the county’s 21 elementary schools participated in the following four challenges: Wood Bridge, Effective Communication, SCRATCH Cyber Security Awareness Game and Storybook Theme Park Ride.

The following teams placed at the competition. Wood Bridge: •Craik, first place;

•Eva Turner Elementary School, second place; and

•Gale-Bailey Elementar y School, third place. Effective Communication:

•William A. Diggs Elementary School, first place;

•Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementar y School, second place; and

•Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, third place. SCRATCH Cyber Security Awareness: •Craik, first place;

•Higdon, second place; and

•Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy, third place. Storybook Theme Park Ride:

•Mary H. Matula Elementary School, first place;

•Diggs, second place; and

•J.P. Ryon Elementary School, third place.

Teams from 11 Charles County Public middle and high schools placed in the secondary Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) competition held March 30 at North Point High School, according to a release. Student teams compete in competitions that test their abilities in mathematics, engineering and science.

Milton M. Somers Middle School was named the overall middle school winner and North Point was named the overall high school winner.

First-, second- and third-place teams in each challenge receive awards and one overall middle and high school winner is chosen. The middle and high school teams that earn the most points throughout the competition are chosen as the overall winners.

As the overall winning schools, teams from Somers and North Point advance to the state competition scheduled for May 18 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel.

Additionally, teams from General Smallwood Middle and Henry E. Lackey High schools advance to the state event as first-place winners at their respective levels in the Prosthetic Arm challenge. Winners in the Prosthetic Arm challenge at the state level advance to the national competition later this summer.

Middle school teams compete in four challenges: Interactive Game Design with ALICE, Hovercraft, Bass Wood Bridge and Prosthetic Arm. The high school teams also compete in four competitions: PYTHON Cyber Robot Challenge, Battleball Robot, Wood Bridge and Prosthetic Arm.

The following teams placed at the middle school level: Interactive Game Design with ALICE: •Somers, first place;

•Matthew Henson School, second place; and

•Piccowaxen Middle School, third place. Hovercraft: •Henson, first place;

•Somers, second place; and

•Piccowaxen, third place. Wood Bridge: •Somers, first place;

•Theodore G. Davis Middle School, second place; and

•Mattawoman Middle School, third place. Prosthetic Arm: •Smallwood, first place;

•Henson, second place; and

•Somers, third place. The following teams placed at the high school level: PYTHON Cyber Robot Challenge: •Lackey, first place;

•La Plata High School, second place; and

•St. Charles High School, third place. Battleball Robot: •Lackey, first place;

•North Point, second place; and

•La Plata, third place. Wood Bridge: •North Point, first place;

•St. Charles, second place; and

•La Plata, third place. Prosthetic Arm: •Lackey, first place.

Charles County students compete as a separate Mar yland MESA region due to high levels of participation, according to a release. Maryland MESA prepares students for academic and professional careers in mathematics, engineering, science and technology. The program’s goals are to increase the number of engineers, scientists, mathematicians and related professionals at technical and management levels and to ser ve as a driving force in encouraging and assisting minorities and females in achieving success in these fields.