Denver Public Schools’ Career Education Center Architectural Technology MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) students took 1st place for the third time in four years at the annual Colorado Mesa and University of Colorado School of Engineering Fall Fling, 2002.

The event was held Thursday and Friday, Nov. 7 and 8 at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Students from high schools throughout the state were challenged to build a boat out of wood and milk jugs, which was then used to compete in a “rescue” mission.

Students were given instructions and materials the day of the contest. Ashley Bolan (George Washington High School), who was elected captain of CEC’s boat crew, stated she “enjoyed the way students who previously didn’t know each other came together to plan and execute a program that took first prize!” Ashley credited her CEC Architectural Technology class in giving her and other students the thought process to analyze constraints and materials, work as a team toward a productive outcome and execute the project.

Teammates Monica Swartz and Margaret Green echoed Ashley’s enthusiasm about the win. CEC MESA team members include: Ashley Bolan, Margaret Green, Monica Swartz, Carey Oglesby, Grant Preisser, Nick Yandura, and Charles Sagere. The contest is sponsored annually by the Multi Cultural Engineering Program (MEP) at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The Fred N. Thomas Career Education Center (CEC), is a public high school located at West 26th Ave. and Eliot St. in northwest Denver. The school serves the Denver area with a solid career preparation program. Students may come half time to attend one of 20 career classes that train students in such career paths as neurosurgeon, lawyer, chef, architect and automobile technician. CEC also has a full-time program offering career courses on campus and community college classes to prepare students for college and post-secondary training. Students from DPS high schools, other districts, home schooling and private schools are welcome to attend CEC. Interested parties may call Ms. Merrilee Thomas at 303-964-3059. Additional information: Diane Cherry, Career Education Center, 303-964-3059, Diane_Cherry@dpsk12.org or Darrell Green, Career Education Center, 303-964-3088, Darrell_Green@dpsk12.org.