The Quarter Century Club: Boeing - Helping MESA soar since 1980

Editor’s note:
This is the third article in our series honoring companies that have supported the MESA program for 25 years or more.

In keeping with its long record of commitment to improving the quality of math and science education in California, Boeing has awarded MESA a $73,000 gift to support an innovative teacher professional development program that weaves together math and physical sciences in a hands-on learning environment.

The MESA Mathematics Physics Technology Institute, held this year in July, brings teachers from both subjects together for a two-week training experience using Texas Instruments graphing calculators and testing equipment. Teachers explore the connections and differences between the two subjects in experiments they can use in the classroom to excite, motivate and challenge their students.

“As a global leader in the aerospace industry, Boeing is committed to improving math and science education for California students,” said Gary Toyama, vice president of Boeing’s Southern California Region and the chair of the company’s in-state contributions program. “For more than two decades, our partnership with MESA has allowed us to execute on that commitment by supporting a rigorous, hands-on curriculum that improves college outcomes and helps cultivate tomorrow’s engineering workforce.”

This partnership has provided MESA with over $1.1 million in program support since 1980, expanding vital math and science education and support for educationally disadvantaged students, particularly in communities where Boeing employees live and work.* At MESA’s annual “Boeing Day,” held this year on October 6, students in the Los Angeles and Long Beach areas witnessed technology demonstrations, met with company engineers and executives to explore aerospace careers, and competed in a company-judged glider competition.

In 2004, Boeing refined its educational giving strategy to focus on providing professional development and leadership opportunities to enhance teacher effectiveness in the classroom. Over the past year, the company has created learning opportunities for nearly 13,000 educators with approximately $1.2 million in grants.

* From 1980 to 1996, MESA received support from the McDonnell Douglas Corporation. In 1990, the McDonnell Douglas Foundation awarded MESA $300,000 over three years, half of it from company employees. This contribution allowed MESA to double the number of Los Angeles and Orange County junior high school students receiving its curriculum (from 2,700 to more than 5,200) and
began a trend of employee matching that continued until 1996, for a total of $150,000. In 1997, McDonnell Douglas became part of Boeing. Since then, Boeing has contributed an additional $773,000 to MESA.

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