During tough times, MESA still supported

In the midst of the current economic downturn, MESA continues to garner new grants, thanks to the program’s long track record of successfully preparing students in math and science.

MESA students are markedly more prepared for educational benchmarks than other students statewide. More than 80 percent of MESA high school graduates go directly to college after graduation compared to 47 percent in all of California. Forty-one percent of MESA students who are African American, Latino and American Indian are eligible to attend UC compared to just six percent of these populations statewide.

Due in part to these successes, Bayer USA Foundation awarded MESA $279,000 over three years. The grant, which was announced during the company’s STEM education diversity forum in December, will help sustain the MESA center at CSU East Bay. This center currently serves one elementary school, eight middle schools and five high schools. The Bayer Corporation recently named MESA among the top programs nationwide for helping underserved K–12 students achieve in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The Verizon Foundation awarded an $80,000 grant to establish programs in three San Bernardino school districts. Materials, supplies and teacher time will be paid for by the educational grant which will also partially fund MESA’s planned expansion to six school districts in the San Bernardino area.

This new program will be guided by the MESA center at the UC Riverside campus. The Riverside program currently oversees MESA activities at 21 area middle and senior high schools.

MESA also received $25,000 from The San Francisco Foundation, one of the nation’s largest community foundations. The money will help MESA to improve academic achievement and encourage math and science learning among disadvantaged students in the Bay Area.

The San Diego Foundation granted MESA $20,000 for math and science teacher development training.

“It’s a good sign for us that money continues to come our way during these hard times,” MESA executive director Oscar Porter said. “ MESA produces results that help industry meet its goals. So when they are thinking about where they can spend their scarce resources, they choose MESA.”

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