2026 JR MESA Day Prelims

Middle School

2025-2026 Middle School Competitions

All competitions will be held in person and will be run concurrently (see event schedule below).

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026

Time: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location: CSU Long Beach

This event is for MESA CSULB enrolled middle school students that have signed up to compete in MESA Day competitions and their advisors.

MESA Day Sign Up Form: https://forms.gle/164AL7zaa3v2b8cbA

Deadline to sign up for competitions & submit lab reports/project files is Sunday, March 8, 2026

EACH TEAM MUST ONLY SIGN UP ONCE PER MESA COMPETITION.
Please choose one person from your team to submit this form once you are ready.
Each team is responsible for ensuring that their file(s) are uploaded to their advisor's submissions folder by the deadline.
NO LATE EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.

Addendum

Coding Solutions

Teams must bring a computer (i.e. laptop, Chromebook) to prelims. No tablets or phones allowed.

Math Escape Challenge

Teams must bring a computer (i.e. laptop, Chromebook) to prelims. No tablets or phones allowed.

Maximum # of Teams Per School (as of 1/30/26)

Mayfair MS - 0 teams

Carnegie MS - 1 team

Dodson MS - 2 teams

Stephen White MS - 5 teams

Cubberley MS - 3 teams

Alondra MS - 1 team

Hollydale MS - 3 teams

Jackson MS - 1 team

Para. Park MS - 2 teams

Zamboni MS - 1 team

National Engineering Design Challenge (NEDC)

Maximum # of Teams Per School (as of 1/30/26)

Stephen White MS - 3 teams

Dodson MS - 5 teams

Hollydale MS - 1 team

Mayfair MS - 1 team

Poster Symposium

Teams must bring their own poster for the poster symposium.
Each team is scheduled in 9-minute slots
- - The Symposium discussion will be limited to a maximum of 6 minutes.

Technical Pitch

Each team is scheduled in 10-minute slots (including prep time, pitch duration, etc.)
- - Technical Pitch Duration: Maximum of 6 minutes.

Schedules

Event Schedule

8:00 AM – 8:50 AM

Arrival & School Check-In

Project Check-Ins

9:00 AM – 10:45 AM

Coding Solutions - Judging (closed to spectators)

Math Escape Challenge - Judging (closed to spectators)

Prepared Speech - Judging (closed to spectators)

NEDC Poster Symposium (see NEDC Schedule)

MESA Passport

Presentation
Sponge Activity #1
Sponge Activity #2

10:30 AM – 12:45 PM

Cargo Glider - Judging

Crime Scene Science - Judging (closed to spectators)

MESA Machine - Judging

Moon Base - Judging

NEDC Technical Pitch (see NEDC Schedule)

MESA Passport

- Presentation
- Sponge Activity #1
- Sponge Activity #2

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Awards Ceremony

NEDC Schedule

Poster Symposium (9:00 - 10:30)

9:00 TBD

9:09 TBD

9:18 TBD

9:27 TBD

9:36 TBD

9:45 TBD

9:54 TBD

10:03 TBD

10:12 TBD

10:21 TBD

Technical Pitch (10:45 - 12:30)

10:45 TBD

10:55 TBD

11:05 TBD

11:15 TBD

11:25 TBD

11:35 TBD

11:45 TBD

11:55 TBD

12:05 TBD

12:15 TBD

MESA Code of Conduct

MESA students agree that MESA competitions are academic events and participants should present themselves in a manner that respects teachers, students, judges, hosts, and other officials at the event. Please remember that countless hours are spent in preparation and execution of the event for your learning and growth and many of the facilitators are volunteers giving their time for you.

The “golden rule” of competition means treating your fellow competitors as you would like to be treated. Show respect for yourself, your teammates, and your opponents, for advisors from all schools and centers and for the judges and other officials. This applies to those who leave the competition with medals and those who do not. Knowledge, pride, and empathy should be the cornerstones of any MESA competition.

All students must participate in a competitive event or other MESA Day activity at all times. Students are never allowed off campus or in areas not associated with MESA Day. Students are guests of the host campus and must respect all facilities, equipment, and property.

This code of behavior applies to MESA Parents, MESA Advisors and teachers, and MESA staff. Any type of misconduct will result in the immediate disqualification of the student, team, and perhaps the entire school. MESA reserves the right to ask anyone who is not conducting themselves per this code to leave the event.

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