Maryland MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) is an exciting and engaging after-school program for students in grades 3–12 designed to spark their interest in STEM education and STEM careers.

Hosted by APL since 1976, when it was just two schools in Baltimore City, the MESA program now reaches students in eight Maryland school districts. Through project-based team competitions, students experience engineering, computer programming, physics, and many more STEM disciplines while developing strong communication and collaboration skills. MESA students are able to see the real-world applications of what they are learning in school, develop the STEM skills they will need in the future, and begin to see themselves in STEM careers.

Maryland MESA is administered by APL and joins ten other MESA USA programs in serving over 49,000 students annually.

Although developing projects for the competition is one of the components, Maryland MESA is more than just a competition. Through participation in MESA, students have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, boost their achievement, and gain greater confidence in their ability to succeed academically and professionally. A fully developed MESA club provides a deep, holistic experience for students and it is a thriving beehive of STEM-related activities and experiences.

The Maryland MESA model comprises the following seven components:

1. Club Meetings
2. Computer Programming Instruction
3. Communications Skills Development
4. Academic Enrichment and Mentoring
5. Career Exploration
6. Field Trips
7. MESA Challenges and Competitions

The seven components of the Maryland MESA program provide an avenue for students to:

• develop interest in and explore STEM-related careers;
• build content knowledge and skills, increase STEM literacy;
• develop and practice soft skills necessary for success in college and the workforce (e.g., project planning, oral communication, writing, collaboration with others); and
• cultivate the passion and build the perseverance needed to complete a STEM degree and enter a STEM career.

Interested in MESA? A list of participating schools can be found here. If you don’t see your child’s school on the list, contact the school to see if they are interested in joining the Maryland MESA network.

The first step to becoming a MESA school is to find a teacher willing to sponsor the club. After a teacher is selected, the teacher should contact us to ask any additional questions and receive the required paperwork to join. MESA is currently a school-based program and requires a teacher sponsor. MESA is currently only available in public schools and public charter schools.