The Phoenix Christian STEM program made its mark again in state and national competitions this past school year.

In its third year in the statewide MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, & Science Achievement) competition, Phoenix Christian placed first overall in high school and fourth overall in middle school, out of 15 high schools and 42 middle schools.  The previous year, PC placed first overall in both middle school and high school.

The MESA program, pioneered by the University of Arizona, is designed to increase access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) pathways and encourage college readiness for low-income, minority, or first-generation college-bound students in grades 6-12.  

Success followed Phoenix Christian in the school’s rookie season in two national robotics competitions.  In the fall, PC traveled to Las Cruces, NM to compete in the BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, & Technology) Robotics competition for high schools.  Twenty-four schools from three different states competed, and PC placed 12th overall in its first ever robotics competition.

This created confidence later at the spring National Robotics Challenge in Marion, OH.  With 42 high schools from 13 different states competing at the longest running robotics competition in the world, Phoenix Christian placed 7th overall in the Robo Hockey competition. This success came from hard work and dedication in spite of the fact that none of the PC students had ever built a robot before this year.

To learn more about STEM and other concentration program at Phoenix Christian, visit phoenixchristian.org/academics!