Students in the Lyles College of Engineering’s Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Schools Program placed first at the MESA National Engineering Design Competition Prosthetic Arm Challenge. The students are eighth graders Samed Obaid, Yousef Ali, Isabela Hamasaki and Sergio Mejia of Mendota Junior High School.

Pacheco High School (Los Banos) ninth graders Ernesto Castro and Kevin Ramirez, also of the MESA Schools Program, placed second. The event was held in Philadelphia from June 20 to 24.

“The purpose of the prosthetic arm competition is to teach students about the need of prostheses in our country and at an affordable price,” said Beatrice Prieto, director of the Fresno State MESA Schools Program. “The students were given a maximum budget of $80 to build an arm. We are all so proud. They did a wonderful job.”

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