Utah MESA, a program to involve women and minority students in mathematics, engineering and sciences, has an enviable record, graduating 98.5 percent of those involved at the high school level and seeing 96.4 percent go on to higher education.
The program began in one school district in 1985 and now serves more than 2,300 students in 58 schools in seven districts.Winners in MESA competitions were honored recently at a year-end conference at Taylorsville High School. Also honored were outstanding students in the Minority Engineering Program, a sister project at the collegiate level.
A number of MESA and MEP students received scholarships from interested industries.
High school essay contest winners were Ginger Bosen, Highland High School 10th-grader, first; and Thu Anh Nguyen, Taylorsville High 12th-grader, second. Junior High winners were Melanie Callor, Helper Junior 9th-grader, first; and Jennifer Marie Adkins, Dixon Middle 8th-grader, second.
High school speech contest winners were Hola Mataele, Hunter 11th-grader, first; Shaylene Montoya, Ogden High 12th-grader, second. Junior high winners were Sunny Gill, Kearns Junior 9th-grader, first; Jessica Sanches, Central Middle 8th-grader, second.