FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2014
Danielle McNamara
(510) 987-0230
Press Release
Harold Garrett, a teacher at Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School in Santa Ana, received the Middle School Advisor of the Year Award from a statewide math and science program.
Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) honored Garrett for his outstanding work in assisting educationally disadvantaged students to excel in math and science.
Garrett was selected from among MESA teachers representing more than 140 middle schools in California. He’s been a MESA advisor for 16 years.
The MESA program at Mendez Intermediate is coordinated by the MESA Schools Program at Chapman University. Mendez is in the Santa Ana Unified School District; eighty percent of Mendez students receive free or reduced lunch.
“Mr. Garrett frequently spends his weekends helping students through Mendez’s Saturday Math Academy,” said Chapman University MESA Director Vonna Hammerschmitt. “In addition to teaching MESA class, Harold also has an after-school MESA program to expose more students to MESA. I firmly believe the tremendous success of MESA at Mendez and the large number of students who participate is due in large part to Harold’s effort.”
MESA is one of the largest programs in California to support educationally disadvantaged students so they can graduate from college with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees. MESA provides academic support and enrichment to more than 18,000 K-12 students and more than 7,800 community college and 4-year college students each year. Most MESA students are economically disadvantaged, the first in their families to attend college and attend underperforming schools.
For more information about Mr. Garrett contact Chapman University MESA Director Vonna Hammerschmitt at vhammers@chapman.edu.
For more information about MESA, visit dev-mesaucop.pantheonsite.io or on Twitter @MESASTEM.