Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) held its annual Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) event in a virtual format this school year. Teams worked together for the past several months to solve real-world problems in different challenge areas. Students compete and are judged in three levels: elementary, middle and high school.
Projects were submitted electronically this year, and judges scored projects remotely. Teams that won first-place awards in their respective challenge areas advance to this year’s virtual Maryland MESA state competition.
The following teams placed in this year’s virtual event at the county level.
Expanding Structure
Elementary School
The Ryon team includes fifth graders Justin Bell-Buckner and Mickhi Jordan. The Diggs team includes fourth graders David Ainerua and Abigail Obadare, and fifth graders Stephanas Afful and Noah Whitney. The Malcolm team includes fourth graders Samantha Lyon and Micaela Proctor.
Middle School
The Henson team consists of eighth grader Quincy McFadden.
High School
The team from Stone includes sophomores Isabella Coleman, Paulene Grier and Olivia Warren. The North Point team includes sophomores Cannon Reynolds and Charlize Villanueva, and juniors Alessandra Contreras and Olukemi Harris. The La Plata team includes juniors Aubrey Alexander and Aastha Patel.
Mobile App Design – new challenge for 2021 MESA competitions
Elementary School
The Ryon team includes fifth graders Destiny Evans, Averie Foster, Kenadi Phillips, Christopher Mejia-Trochez and Jada Walthour. The Diggs team includes third graders Jeremy Dargin, Lauren Emge and Afuh Temah. The Matula team includes third graders Emma Mackey, Zoe Mayo and Sofia Morris, fourth grader Brynn Barry and fifth grader Madison Owens.
Middle School
The Henson team includes eighth grader Cadence Tolbert. The Davis team includes seventh graders Terra Newcamp and Noah Williams. The Mattawoman team features eighth graders Hudson Garrett and Corey Thomas.
High School
The Westlake team includes juniors Christina Elebeke and Ann Ubaka, and seniors Cashmere Longshore and Clarice Yekah. The Lackey team includes sophomore Raymond Guzzone, and seniors Tiana Clemons, Eli Guzzone and Justin Pham. The North Point team includes sophomores Maxwell Gaynor and Bryson Wingate, and junior Dalana Gunther.
National Engineering Design Competition – secondary level teams only
Middle School
The Henson team includes sixth graders Olivia Bellamy and Christopher Martin, and eighth graders Monica Jones and Carsyn Martin.
High School
The Lackey team includes freshmen Zoe Laciny and Charlize Martin, and seniors Timothy Morgan and Jason Pham. The North Point team includes junior Param Jhala and senior Sahil Patel.
In this challenge, teams that advance to the state competition and win first place are eligible to compete in the national-level competition. Both the Henson and Lackey teams will compete at the state event for a chance to compete at the national level.
Storybook Theme Park – elementary level teams only
The Ryon team includes fifth grader Minh Nguyen. The Diggs team features fourth grader David Okoli and fifth grader Kingsley Okoli. The Craik team includes fifth graders Lily Oliver, Alani Pauole, Makena Pauole and Aubrey Sheggrud.
Wearable Technology
Elementary School
The Matula team includes fourth grader Liam Carsia and fifth grader Katie Boyette. The Ryon team includes fifth graders Tobias Beruk, Jahmila Henry, Almaz Mekias, Minh Nguyen and Kaley Williams. The Barnhart team includes fifth graders Jillian Ashby, Brooklyn Cannon, Saniya Coble, Brooklyn Franklin and Gabrielle Hargrove.
Middle School
The Henson team includes eighth grader Kelsey Garrity.
High School
The Lackey team includes sophomore Gabriel Rodriguez Batalla, and seniors Bailey Burroughs and Jonathan Gross. The North Point team includes freshman Brianna Edwards, sophomores Nathan Hill and Danae Hudson and senior Kayla Barrow. The La Plata team includes freshman Alan Sebastian, junior Leah Kwak and senior Ebin Sebastian.
All CCPS teams who earned placement at the county level were recognized in a virtual video ceremony. The video is posted on the CCPS YouTube channel at here.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).
Projects were submitted electronically this year, and judges scored projects remotely. Teams that won first-place awards in their respective challenge areas advance to this year’s virtual Maryland MESA state competition.
The following teams placed in this year’s virtual event at the county level.
Expanding Structure
Elementary School
- P. Ryon Elementary School, first place;
- William A. Diggs Elementary School, second place; and
- Malcolm Elementary School, third place.
The Ryon team includes fifth graders Justin Bell-Buckner and Mickhi Jordan. The Diggs team includes fourth graders David Ainerua and Abigail Obadare, and fifth graders Stephanas Afful and Noah Whitney. The Malcolm team includes fourth graders Samantha Lyon and Micaela Proctor.
Middle School
- Matthew Henson Middle School, first place.
The Henson team consists of eighth grader Quincy McFadden.
High School
- Thomas Stone High School, first place;
- North Point High School, second place; and
- La Plata High School, third place.
The team from Stone includes sophomores Isabella Coleman, Paulene Grier and Olivia Warren. The North Point team includes sophomores Cannon Reynolds and Charlize Villanueva, and juniors Alessandra Contreras and Olukemi Harris. The La Plata team includes juniors Aubrey Alexander and Aastha Patel.
Mobile App Design – new challenge for 2021 MESA competitions
Elementary School
- Ryon, first place;
- Diggs, second place; and
- Mary H. Matula Elementary School, third place.
The Ryon team includes fifth graders Destiny Evans, Averie Foster, Kenadi Phillips, Christopher Mejia-Trochez and Jada Walthour. The Diggs team includes third graders Jeremy Dargin, Lauren Emge and Afuh Temah. The Matula team includes third graders Emma Mackey, Zoe Mayo and Sofia Morris, fourth grader Brynn Barry and fifth grader Madison Owens.
Middle School
- Henson, first place;
- Theodore G. Davis Middle School, second place; and
- Mattawoman Middle School, third place.
The Henson team includes eighth grader Cadence Tolbert. The Davis team includes seventh graders Terra Newcamp and Noah Williams. The Mattawoman team features eighth graders Hudson Garrett and Corey Thomas.
High School
- Westlake High School, first place;
- Henry E. Lackey High School, second place; and
- North Point, third place.
The Westlake team includes juniors Christina Elebeke and Ann Ubaka, and seniors Cashmere Longshore and Clarice Yekah. The Lackey team includes sophomore Raymond Guzzone, and seniors Tiana Clemons, Eli Guzzone and Justin Pham. The North Point team includes sophomores Maxwell Gaynor and Bryson Wingate, and junior Dalana Gunther.
National Engineering Design Competition – secondary level teams only
Middle School
- Henson, first place.
The Henson team includes sixth graders Olivia Bellamy and Christopher Martin, and eighth graders Monica Jones and Carsyn Martin.
High School
- Lackey, first place; and
- North Point, second place.
The Lackey team includes freshmen Zoe Laciny and Charlize Martin, and seniors Timothy Morgan and Jason Pham. The North Point team includes junior Param Jhala and senior Sahil Patel.
In this challenge, teams that advance to the state competition and win first place are eligible to compete in the national-level competition. Both the Henson and Lackey teams will compete at the state event for a chance to compete at the national level.
Storybook Theme Park – elementary level teams only
- Ryon, first place;
- Diggs, second place; and
- James Craik Elementary School, third place.
The Ryon team includes fifth grader Minh Nguyen. The Diggs team features fourth grader David Okoli and fifth grader Kingsley Okoli. The Craik team includes fifth graders Lily Oliver, Alani Pauole, Makena Pauole and Aubrey Sheggrud.
Wearable Technology
Elementary School
- Matula, first place;
- Ryon, second place; and
- Paul Barnhart Elementary School, third place.
The Matula team includes fourth grader Liam Carsia and fifth grader Katie Boyette. The Ryon team includes fifth graders Tobias Beruk, Jahmila Henry, Almaz Mekias, Minh Nguyen and Kaley Williams. The Barnhart team includes fifth graders Jillian Ashby, Brooklyn Cannon, Saniya Coble, Brooklyn Franklin and Gabrielle Hargrove.
Middle School
- Henson, first place.
The Henson team includes eighth grader Kelsey Garrity.
High School
- Lackey, first place;
- North Point, second place; and
- La Plata, third place.
The Lackey team includes sophomore Gabriel Rodriguez Batalla, and seniors Bailey Burroughs and Jonathan Gross. The North Point team includes freshman Brianna Edwards, sophomores Nathan Hill and Danae Hudson and senior Kayla Barrow. The La Plata team includes freshman Alan Sebastian, junior Leah Kwak and senior Ebin Sebastian.
All CCPS teams who earned placement at the county level were recognized in a virtual video ceremony. The video is posted on the CCPS YouTube channel at here.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).