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Math & Science Competitions  

Math and Science Competitions

USC MESA offers numerous academic, hands-on and fun competitions throughout the year for students.  Competitions are ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge, to be recognized, to visit university campuses, to meet students from other schools, to represent their school and USC MESA, and to have fun.  Most importantly, competitions help students shine and look great on college applications.

MESA Day
MESA Day is held each Spring of each year for middle school and high school students.  These hands-on mathematics, science and engineering competitions are aligned to California State Content Standards.  Students compete in such competitions as balsawood bridge, balsawood glider, crystal growing, mathematics, mousetrap car, packaged egg drop, and web design.  Sponsors of MESA Days at USC include SBC Pacific Bell, Panda Cares (Panda Restaurant Group), Conexant, Lockheed Martin, Teradyne, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Tidelands Oil.  Thanks to these corporations for their contributions, support, and volunteers.
MESA Day Goals
  • Provide students with an opportunity to apply mathematics, science and engineering principles to individual and team academic contests and over time to develop their mastery of these academic skills.
  • Expose students to other campuses, college faculty, technical equipment and laboratories, etc.
  • Encourage students to explore attending colleges in other locations and cities.
  • Build self-esteem and confidence in students.
  • Encourage and motivate students to excel.
  • Expose students to leading-edge technology thus increasing their exposure to and awareness of math and science careers.
FIRST LEGO League Competition
The FIRST LEGO League Competition is an exciting interactive program introducing middle school students to science and technology in a team environment.  In the Fall, FIRST LEGO League announces its Challenge highlighting a current scientific or technological problem facing the world.  During the Challenge process, teams have 8 weeks to build, program and test their own fully-autonomous robot capable of completing various "missions."  Teams compete at local or state competitions.
 

2004 Competition
 
 
Congratulations goes to the USC MESA students from Bud Carson Middle School who won the presitigious "Judges Award!"

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