January 14. 198/ Pr (land Observer, Page 11
C O N T IN U IN G t h e D R E A M
A á
PORTLAND
M ATHEM ATICS, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE ACHIVEMENT PROGRAM
NATIONAL MODEL
The
regon Deportment
ie O
Oregon
_r ______ of
Transportation Is pleased to join
many other leaders in government,
business and Industry in recocyMz
the achievements of Portland M(
MESA Is a program designed to
attract minority youth into careers In
sciences, engineering, moth and
technology, although participation Is
open to all students.
"We are the first MESA program in
the notion to Invole both middle and
high school youth.’ stated Dr. Ernest
Hartzog. Assistant Superintendent for
Portland Public Schools. Hartzog noted
that many minority students enter
high school not having selected
properly sequenced
math and
science
courses.
Students also hod the opportunity to
spend the day with a mentor,
compete In a math contest, attend
otter-school stucty labs, write MESA
reports and give presentations to their
fellow students.
Activities for the current school year
have Included: a Bridge Building
Contest a M ouse Trap Car Design
and Race, M ath Relay Races, a
Math/Sclence Jeopardy Game; and
workshops on Newtonian Physics,
Dissection and Probability and
Statistics. Wikerson has also put
together a range of activities from
camping trips to slumber parties to
talk about issues such as leadership
and Initiative.
Eoch school has a MESA Advisor end
stu d e n ts m e e t w ith tlwjt person on a
weekly basis. There is an extensive
Summer Program that students
may attend.
URGENT NEED
"We see Portland MESA as a very
Important eckxational initiative m the
State," sold Vicki Nakashima.
M anager of the O regon Department
of Transportation's Civil Rights Office.
Nakashima referred to an October,
1985 Engineering Manpower Bulletin
which cited cuts in financial aid,
recbced college recruiting, and lock of
role models for the recent decline in
minority enrollment at engineering
schools
T h e per pose of MESA." stated Renee
Wilkerson, Coordinator of Portland
MESA, “is to make minority
students more aware of technical
careers, to m otivate them to take
appropriate moth, science and
engineering-related courses in high
school ano to reward them for
achievement in these subject areas.*
Portland MESA Is a joint venture
between the Porti»
la nd State University
School of Engineering and Applied
Science and
nd Portlano Public Schools.
Dr.Chlc Erzurumlu. Deen of PSU.'s
School of Engineering and Applied
Sciences serves as Director of MESA
and Is Co- Chair of the MESA
Advisory Board. Dr. H artzog who
directs District-Wide Programs for
Portland Public Schools, is also Co-
Chair.
Three hundred twenty five students
are participating In the program for
the 1 9 8 6 -8 7 school year. Students
come from eight middle schools:
Beaumont, fernwood, Whitaker.
Tubman, Ockley Green, Bimsmeod.
ML Tabor and K ellogg and three high
schools: Jefferson, G ran t and Benson.
Pictured, left to rig h t are a portion of Jefferson High School's MESA
Chapter, fro n t row: Sharon Davis, Evelyn Dasalla, Trisa Watson, Second
row: Sunshine Guzman, Janise Gordon, Pamela Clegg; Third row: Pardis
Navi (Advisor! Nilesh Doyal, Gina Yarbrough: fourth row: Monish Patel,
Jodi Lewison, Kimberly Robinson; Last Row: Jon Cawthorne, Leila Aziz,
Dana Bailey, Carl Sloter (Photo by Larry Mills, Portland Public S c I kxj I s )
'Blocks, Hispcmcs and American
Indians represent only 5.4% of 1984
same year.
engineering
were BlocK
0.3% were
1984, 4.4% of
undergracbote students
3.1% were Hispanic, end
American Indian.
T h e MESA Program does make a
difference,’ noted H artzog “We've
seen higher grades and increased
participation in moth and science
program s from MESA students."
Alisa Benjamin, a former student at
Tubman M iddle School, said that the
MESA Program hod been a
m otivating experience for her. 'I was
an ave ra g e student in math and
science two years a g o ' noted
Benjamin, ’ sometimes below
averoge. Now I am an A and B
s tu d e rl"
T h o se numbers will continue to slip
without intervention." said Nakashima,
"and that is wtxj program s like
MESA are Important "
Karen Bell, the first Block fem ale
Engineer m ODOT. stated that career
awareness program s were
Instrumental In her entry Into the
field. "Karen Is one of several ODOT
em ployees who contributes slgnificcnt
time in the classroom and on the
job site with our students ‘ said Penny
Fukui, Career Coordinator for MESA.
'Karen and others are excellent
mentors and role m odels,' fukui
noted.
“Ninety Tour students received
’incentive awards' last year," said
Wilkerson. To receive on incentive
award a student must receive A's
and B's in their moth and science
classes and participate In a
minimum number of MESA
activities.
WE SHARE THE DREAMI
"It Is my turn to provid e leadership
and give something bock to the
community that supported me." said
Bell.
The Oregon Department of Transportation
ITS ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT
BROAD BASED ACTIVITIES
Portland MESA began July 1, 1985,
with 2 0 9 students— the largest start­
up program in the nation, noted
Wilkerson. "In the first year we hod 9
workshops, including preparation for
the Scholastic Aptitude Test for college
entrance, 15 parent meetings, 18
technical site visits with cooperating
corporations and agencies, and 48
aker presentations," stated
erson.
Nakashima hod praise for the
leadership of the MESA staff which
consists of Renee Wilkerson, Penny
Fukui, and Office
Fukui
Gt rice M anoger.
anoger, Lhns
Chris
Mueller. T h e y have put together a
very effective program th a t students,
parents, educators, and the corporate
community can get behind and
know their time is a good
investment,’ she observed.
CIVIL RIGHTS SECTION
4 1 2 Transportation Building
Salem, Oregon 9 7 3 1 0
3 7 8 -8 0 7 7
1 9 8 5 -8 6 MESA AWARD WINNERS
9COUMONT
Keven O n n Trod fo rte . Laura
Gunderson Robert Ingram K a ih e n »
Kjr»s, Mark Knepper (h a u Luona
V r h Luona James M rk e ra » , Taletho
McKerare, Ben P o r t » , Jonathan
Stokes, Crcrg W alter Kosien marron,
Heidi U M com b
fCRNWOOO
Judo Alexander. Li>o Brodleu Shonel
8urm. Duane Burton Christopher
Dourson A«ison Cdner Sasha O m a rm
Tam ara Johnson Sharon K em e g
(Itto beth Louis. Lhrstopher Leurs, Dono
M ic h e l Staceu P e m e l Casondro
Person Jessica Reiss Z o e II
CaroAr» Wright
OCKLCV GflCCN
Cumer, Kim Doo
Scott leiJunqton TfToixi M ic h e l P io
PateL Summer Sohm. Jesse
Stricker Nakisha Thompson Róchele
'Watson vidd W h*e
„
.
Mglo OodTreg,
Wens
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<•*
- *
’ r
*
TUBMAN
Dono BaPeu. A lso Benjam ín Simone
BrooKs Sondra Leaser, Odor
Gom ales. William G o n io n flO abeth
Marquis. PathclQ McCormkK Ni-ole
McCray. Sarah Morse, f o l a M i»(te.'
Toro rau tso n Bun T an K ju n r r »
Warfield. Jackie U'Hhcxm
, ‘ A, "
« ✓ A
y
WHTAK(R
fa re s o B e l M a rc e lin Broun. V e d a
Broun. Teresa (h o h e s Pam ela ( le g a
I -Jango f o t . Rachel G o la n K elh
’ « au th o r» , Lashonda H odges Arihonu
Jackson Kable K ee to n D - , t »
Ketsouc Ramag Leurs, l o t t a M iia n
Jonathan Norm an Sondho Reed,
CXjrron Richard, R oosevel Ross HI,
R o/eegch Smih. Shurio Tate R egno
W arren Pothce W lson
GRANT
Stephanie B el Tashr, M a d e n
herut
M aso n Wir. en jJtxte M ero
r o Wo» e
JfffCRSON
Leila A jo . R obb Beavers Shcx on
D ove H eH ' • i r , , . ,
U n a V en
Ma. Ng. .
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