New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (NM MESA), Inc., will hold its 16 th annual Statewide Jamboree, Saturday, April 3, hosted by the University of New Mexico. The Opening ceremonies will be held at UNM's Johnson Center at 9 a.m.
More than 2,000 New Mexico students from 6 th through 12 th grade will participate in academic events at sites scattered across the university beginning at 9:45 a.m.
Activities include: Junkyard Speaking, Lego Robotics, MESA USA National Engineering Design Competition (multi-purpose vehicle made from a mouse trap), On-Site Engineering, On-Site Math, On-Site Science and On-Site Surprise (math, science or English based). Also included is the Spirit Design competition, where students create a school banner to showcase school and MESA spirit and this year's Prepared Design, a motorized boat.
Celebra la Ciencia will also be on hand with bilingual, hands-on science experiments and family-friendly exhibits sponsored by a host of museums and foundations, including the National Science Foundation, Self-Reliance Foundation and National Public Radio. Activities begin at the UNM Duck Pond at 10:30 a.m. Participating organizations include the Albuquerque Bio Park, Balloon Explorium, Explora Science Center & Children's Museum, LodeStar, Astronomy Center, National Atomic Museum, UNM, the NM Museum of Natural History and Science and Rio Grande Nature Center.
A number of in-state college recruiters (UNM, NMSU, NMHU, ENMU and NM Tech) will also participate. Exotics of the Rain Forest, the UNM Climbing Wall, Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, various UNM programs, music and more will be featured.
In it's 21st year, the NM MESA continues to prepare pre-college students from underrepresented ethnic groups for college majors and careers in mathematics, engineering and science. Educational enrichment such as tutoring, community service, and field trips to sites related to math, engineering and science and summer enrichment classes help build well-rounded and academically involved NM MESA students. NM MESA, a year-round program, serves more than 5,000 students in 97 schools and 30 school districts.
“We invite the press to attend this 16 th annual NM MESA Jamboree at UNM. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase New Mexico's best and brightest students and demonstrate to the New Mexico public that our schools do work. In addition, it showcases volunteer involvement from around the state as more than 115 people with varying careers will judge the competitions,” said Cindy Smith, Jamboree coordinator.
Contact: Eleanor Sanchez (505) 277-1813
Posted by kwentworth at March 17, 2004 10:57 AM