Legion of Youth Powered by Boeing: Washington MESA

Kailani Sirois (14)

"MESA gives me a voice in the science community and gives me the opportunity to strive to do more. MESA inspires me to one day work in the science field. I am a young Native American women who has hopes and dreams and I feel MESA will give me that voice and gives others just like me that same voice."

Clell Finley (16)

"The part of MESA I enjoy the most is the support of my classmates as well as the kind of projects we work on at MESA as they are all focused on helping people."

Ali Cortez (17)

"I dealt with anxiety and continue to deal with it every now and then, but having a community that supports me, family at home and my MESA community as well, helped me see my potential. Only I can do what's best for me, and only I can ask for help. Overcoming my anxiety isn't something that would've be possible without professional help and moral support from my peers."

CJ Birks (14)

"My older cousin Marcus inspires me as he showed me that no matter how bad your luck is you can turn nothing into something."

Ella Boyer (14)

"When my parents adopted me and brought me to America, I was lacking many everyday skills like walking, using scissors, speaking, and much more. I had to get help and eventually I could accomplish those skills, making me who I am today."

Mickeyas Tesema (11)

"Don't give up."

Lala Villezcas (16)

"Mainly achievement is what matters most. Achievement is the aftermath of success, once you are done with what you put your mind to."

Geovanni Beltran (17)

"My favorite part of MESA would have to be the freedom we get. We get to work on such amazing projects like the Arduino competition. Doing this gives us the opportunity to come up with things on our own."

Hannah Foster (15)

"MESA had made an impact on my life because it propels my dreams forwards. I have realized what I want to do is actually possible and the people involved are a great support system and connect me to resources that are helpful."

Abeto Mengistu (13)

"I am interested in STEM because most things I do are around Math and Tech. I also enjoy talking about the universe and how we are able to learn a whole lot more about it."

Isaac Dean (16)

"I was homeless when I was 3 and my mom was working multiple jobs just to get a roof over our heads and I helped my mom working odd jobs in restaurants so that we could pay our bills and she would finally be able to attend medical school."

Lucio Rodriguez (16)

"As I was growing up from elementary to middle school, I always got bullied and that would really affect me academically and mentally. To overcome it I was able to receive support from my family and people who I can truly call friends and so I wasn't feeling so voided. Now where I am I've put everything negative behind me and focus on the end goal and think positively about any situation."

Roxanne Lyall (16)

"My goal in life is to become successful in whatever field I choose and help my family in Haiti."

Yaritzy Ochoa Ruiz (14)

"My life goal is to be a surgeon."

Salvador Andrade-Lepe (13)

"My goals and my dreams are to become the first in my family to get a high school diploma and to go to college. Also, I hope to go to a college for Mechanical Engineering and to become one of the best Mechanical Engineers out there."

Angel Quaigg (13)

"I see MESA helping me succeed in my life by making me more mature by not being shy and depressed. To me MESA has helped put a change on my life. I used to hate science, I was never up to trying new things, but now I am and I love science."

Jemara Manuel (15)

"My mom inspires me because she works so much and sometimes doesn't even notice because it's just in her system. She's a very hard worker and she does everything she can to provide for me and my 5 other siblings. I am so grateful for her and I aspire to be like her and have the same independent mentality that she does."

Ariana Carmona (14)

"My advice for people who look up to me is never try and be exactly like someone else just to fit in, always be yourself and follow your own dreams."

Tyron Garcia (14)

"Looking at what people did to change the world today using math, science , etc, it inspires me to make a difference in the world."

Anna Yurov (15)

"My goal in life is to design a product that receives a lot of respect or recognition."

Ian Ngae (17)

"MESA has been a truly amazing program that has allowed students show off their ingenuity and passion to learn how to work together as a team to not only make devices and creations that will change the world and our communities, but it has given valuable friendships and moments filled with so much emotions of triumphs and downfalls that have stuck with me and all MESA students now and forever."

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