LA PLATA — Four Charles County Public Schools teams placed at the state Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement competition last month, highlighting local student success in hands-on STEM challenges.
The event, held at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, brought together elementary through high school teams from across Maryland. Students tackled engineering and design problems focused on real-world issues. Charles County teams earned top honors in three categories, with one high school team taking third place.
A team from William A. Diggs Elementary School won first place in the Community Clean Up Challenge. Students designed an automated environmental superhero called the Super Clean Machine, powered by solar, wind or water energy. Team members were Micah Enchill, Bryce Muschette, Bryce Thompson and Bryson Wooster. Coaches were kindergarten teacher Traci Davis and science teacher Michael Johnson.
Another Diggs team also took first place, this time in the Storybook Theme Park Ride Challenge. Students created a functional model of a theme park ride based on a storybook of their choice. Team members included John Aaron Bassig, Alianna Grace Moten, Aamir Logan and Danny McFadden Jr. Davis and Johnson served as coaches again.
At Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School, a team won first place in the Wearable Technology Challenge. Students designed and built a device an athlete could wear to help prevent heat exhaustion. Team members were Joshua Ferguson, Noel McPherson, Amanda Sanchez and Elizabeth Rodriguez Zelaya. Coaches were fourth-grade teacher Brandy Alexander and technology facilitator Maribel Reyes.
La Plata High School’s National Engineering Design Competition team earned third place. Students identified a local issue related to inequity, then engineered and prototyped a solution with the theme “Designing for Equity Locally to Affect Sustainability Globally.” Team members were Paul Blachek, Pranesh George, Elijah Merkle and Marcellus White. Science teachers Rachel Clark and Marisa Capalbo coached the team.
Alongside the student achievements, CCPS coordinator of STEM education Simone Young received the inaugural Trailblazer in STEM Award. Young began her career teaching middle school science and high school biology in Prince George’s County Public Schools, later adding college-level courses in genetics and information technology. She joined Charles County Public Schools in 2011 as an instructional resource teacher at North Point High School, where she worked closely with career and technical education instructors. She later became the district’s STEM education coordinator.
“STEM education is about so much more than just teaching content,” Young said. “It’s about helping students build the skills and confidence they need to navigate an ever-changing world. When students engage in competitive STEM, they’re not just solving problems—they’re learning how to collaborate, think critically and stay resilient.”
Young often emphasizes the idea of “failing forward.” “We want students to understand that failure isn’t something to avoid — it’s actually part of the process,” she said. “It’s how you refine your ideas and ultimately get to better solutions. That mindset is so important, not just in STEM, but in life.”
The MESA competition encourages students to apply creativity and problem-solving to engineering tasks. For Charles County, the strong showing reflects ongoing efforts to expand STEM opportunities across grade levels. The program helps prepare students for future careers while building practical skills through project-based learning.
Young’s leadership has focused on increasing access to computer science and STEM instruction throughout the district. The combination of student competition success and her recognition underscores the district’s commitment to hands-on learning that connects classroom concepts to real-world applications.
