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Roberto Clemente MS Students Headed to National MESA Competition

Posted On May 19, 2026
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Earlier this month, students from Lucy V. Barnsley Elementary School, Roberto W. Clemente Middle School, Hallie Wells Middle School, John F. Kennedy High School and Paint Branch High School came together for the statewide Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) competition. 

Hosted at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, the event brought together regional MESA champions from across Maryland, including teams from Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Howard and Prince George’s counties, as well as Baltimore City Public Schools, to showcase creativity, collaboration and real-world problem-solving through innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) projects.

Throughout the event, students tackled authentic engineering challenges focused on community needs, sustainability and emerging technologies. Projects included wearable health-monitoring devices, planetary landers and engineering solutions designed to improve everyday life.

Among the day’s biggest accomplishments was Roberto Clemente Middle School’s first-place finish in the National Engineering Design Challenge (NEDC), earning the school a spot at the National MESA Competition this June. The team, made up of eighth graders Taelyn Kim and Riya Tolani, will represent both MCPS and the state of Maryland as they compete against top student innovators from across the country.

Their project, The SmartPot: A Homegrown Solution for Food-Insecure Families, is an Arduino-powered automated plant care system designed to help families living in food deserts grow fresh food at home. The countertop system uses soil sensors to detect moisture and nutrient levels and can automatically water plants from a built-in reservoir. The students also developed a companion app to simplify plant care and make growing food more accessible and affordable.

The students shared that they are excited for the opportunity, though it still feels surreal to represent the state of Maryland in a national engineering competition. They said they hope to make the state proud. As part of the next phase of preparation, they will work one-on-one with a Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory engineer to further develop their design.

Science teacher and Roberto Clemente MESA sponsor Chelsea Smith, praised the students’ dedication and growth throughout the competition process.

“I am very excited for the students headed to nationals as they dedicated a lot of time and effort over the past several months to get here,” Smith said. “I am nothing but confident in their abilities to create the best project to present at Nationals and I can't wait to see them shine.”

Roberto Clemente students also earned first place in the Planetary Lander Competition, led by eighth graders Stella Liu and Arianna Lee. Another Roberto Clemente team earned third place in the Wearable Technology category, meaning the school placed in three of the four middle school competition categories.

MCPS students earned a total of six statewide awards, highlighting the district’s strong commitment to hands-on STEM learning and innovation.

Additional statewide honors included:

  • Wearable Technology — 1st Place, Paint Branch High School (high school level)
  • Storybook Theme Park — 3rd Place, Lucy V. Barnsley Elementary School (elementary school level)
  • Community Clean-Up — 3rd Place, John F. Kennedy High School (high school level)