High school’s MESA team comes in third in nation

Four Costa Mesa High School students representing Cal State Fullerton’s Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement Team, placed third in the nation at the 2007 MESA USA National Engineering Design Competition.

Juan Dominguez, Dorian Flores, Richard Kyo and Ted Lee received their diplomas at their graduation June 21, then boarded a plane that night to participate in the competition June 22 through 24 at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

The students designed and built a trebuchet, a “type of catapult with a sling on the end … that demonstrated distance, accuracy and power,” as well as a custom travel case for the device.

The competition also required the group write a technical paper, design a display board and give an oral presentation.

It is the first time any high school team from CSUF’s program participated in the national competition, according to its director Vonna Hammerschmitt.

— Sue Thoensen