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AT&T hosted over 200 K–12 MESA educators this summer who gathered at the company’s western regional headquarters in San Ramon to learn hands-on math and science activities and other methods to improve student achievement in these fields. The MESA Academy for Science and Math Educators (MASME) offered to educators over 50 workshops on topics such as virtual fractions, photonics, math innovation with the TI–Nspire, Mayan mathematics, and the math and science principles behind the trebuchet, an ancient weapon of mass destruction. The conference also was sponsored by Texas Instruments, Chevron and Google. MASME attendees were MESA advisors—math and science teachers from across the state who work with MESA students. In addition to providing different methods to promote student academic success, MASME offered advisors an opportunity to collaborate in problem-solving and share best practices. Yno Gonzales, AT&T senior vice president of Network Operations, was on hand to welcome the teachers. “ MESA enriches lives and creates opportunities for students and the communities we live in,” Gonzales told the crowd. “We’re proud here at AT&T to be associated with MESA.” State Senator Tom Torlakson (SD–7, Antioch), a former biology teacher, visited MASME workshop sessions and spoke with advisors. Later that evening he helped present awards at a special MASME banquet. “This conference gave a chance for our advisors to learn from each other,” said MESA Statewide Program Director Juanita Muñiz-Torres. “It gave them a chance to meet other MESA teachers from across the state who are all doing the same thing—working to improve math and science achievement for students with limited resources. “This conference is unique because it was developed by science and math teachers,” she said. “That’s why MASME’s workshops addressed real classroom needs in a practical way.” First year MESA advisor Valentina Mascorro was among many who voiced their wholehearted endorsement of the MASME experience. “The conference was great. I’m going back excited and ready to apply what I’ve learned to my MESA and math classes. It gave me lots of ideas,” said the teacher from Los Baños Junior High School (CSU Fresno MESA Center). For close to 20 years MESA had provided a similar statewide conference for its math and science teachers. That conference was eliminated after MESA’s state funding was cut in 2002. MASME, funded in part by industry contributions, was offered this year in response to teacher and MESA director requests.
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