At the September ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre High School Vocal Connection, ASA students enjoyed a full day of music, learning and collaboration (photo courtesy of Arizona School for the Arts).
Singers join peers at ASU event
Seventeen members of Arizona School for the Arts’ Concert Choir and Chamber Singers took part in the ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre High School Vocal Connection held Saturday, Sept. 7.
The students spent the day participating in team-building activities and honing their vocal skills alongside ASU grad students and Choral faculty. It was a day full of music, learning, and collaboration, the school said in a social media post.
Arizona School for the Arts is located at 1410 N. 3rd St. in Phoenix. For additional information, call 602-257-1444 or visit www.goasa.org.
School hosts robotics challenge
Students at Phoenix Christian Preparatory will participate in the 2025 Southwest National Robotics Challenge, which their school will also host (submitted photo).
Phoenix Christian Preparatory School will host the inaugural Southwest National Robotics Challenge, slated for Saturday, April 5, 2025. This event is the first sanctioned event for the National Robotics Challenge.
The Southwest National Robotics Challenge will bring together middle and high school students from across the region to participate in various robotics competitions. It will offer four competitions to accommodate different ages and experience levels: Combat Robot, competition where students design and build robots to compete in battles against other teams; Mini-Sumo, a smaller version of the traditional sumo wrestling, where students create robots to push each other out of a ring; The Maze, a competition where students build robots to navigate through a labyrinth to reach a goal; and Robo Hockey, a game where students build robots to play a version of hockey on a modified rink.
Each competition requires students to think critically and apply their knowledge of engineering principles, programming, and design to build a robot that can successfully compete.
Students interested in robotics are encouraged to participate in the Southwest National Robotics Challenge, which will offer a great opportunity for to learn and grow and to meet like-minded students who share a passion for robotics.
For more information, send an email to Kelby Milgrim, STEM director/Southwest NRC director, at kmilgrim@phoenixchristian.org. Visit the event website at https://pcstem2018.wixsite.com/southwestnrc/our-school.
The Madison Highland Prep Service Club spent a day volunteering at the Society of St. Vincent De Paul (photo courtesy of Madison Highland Prep).
Service club gives back to community
The Madison Highland Prep Service Club recently spent the day volunteering at the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, where they made a significant impact in the Phoenix community. Their tasks included making sandwiches, plating over 1,000 meals and assisting with prep work for future meals.
Devon Reeves and Julitza Arriaga, seniors at Madison Highland Prep, shared their experience saying, “It was different from other food banks we had visited. We felt more included and involved, and it was nice working as a team since we each had specific stations we were in charge of. It felt incredibly rewarding knowing our efforts were going to have a positive impact on so many people.”
Scarlett James, a freshman, had a particularly memorable experience, as it was her first time volunteering. “It made me feel really good helping people,” she said. “I was in charge of cutting potatoes and bagging sandwiches. It was amazing to see how much food we prepared and know that it would make a difference in someone’s life.”
The Society of St. Vincent De Paul is the largest commercial kitchen in Arizona, serving over 7,000 nutritional meals daily. Madison Highland Prep said that it is incredibly proud of their students for coming together to make a tangible difference in the community.
Madison Highland Prep is a STEM-focused college-preparatory high school located at 1431 E. Campbell Ave. For more information, contact the school office at 602-745-3800 or visit www.madisonhighlandprep.com.
Twenty-two Brophy College Preparatory students were named semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship competition (photo courtesy of Brophy College Preparatory).
22 seniors named Merit Semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the 2025 semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship competition and 22 Brophy College Preparatory seniors have earned the semifinalist designation. According to the NMSC, the national pool of semifinalists includes those students who scored highest on the PSAT/NMSQT in each state and honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
Brophy’s 2025 National Merit Semifinalists are seniors Nathan Bae, Nathaniel Crooks, Alexander Crum, Kamran Darnall-Hirani, Arin Gopakumar, Oliver Groft, Naren Gudavalli, Aidan Hyde, Timothy Jiang, Dean Ketcham, Finnegan Klocke, Blake Mahoney, Max Millstine, Marco Pannozzo, Ronin Patel, Santiago Paul, Logan Phillips, Weston Walker, Henry Walters, Ming Yang, Ryan Zerbib and Colin Zimmerman.
The school says that over the last eight years, 97 Brophy seniors have been named semifinalists/finalists in the competition. The school’s rigorous Jesuit education stresses intellectual competence with an emphasis on becoming Men for Others.
Brophy hosts open house
Brophy College Preparatory will hold an open house on Sunday, Nov. 3, from noon to 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended and open on Monday, Sept. 16, via the website. Those interested can find more information www.brophyprep.org or by sending an email to admissions@brophyprep.org.
Brophy, a Jesuit, Catholic high school that also includes Loyola Academy, a small on-campus middle school for underserved boys, is located at 4701 N. Central Ave.
Attending Xavier’s Sept. 13 Grandparents Day event were Deacon Carlos Terrazas, grandfather, Lovely Quintero Terrazas, Sophina Aguayo, Jazz Quintero Terrazas and Natalie Terrazas, grandmother (photo by Lisa Zuba, courtesy of Xavier College Preparatory).
Grandparents Day brings families together
Xavier College Preparatory held its annual Grandparents Day Sept. 13, welcoming the grandparents of freshwomen to campus. Established in 2008 by a group of devoted grandparents, the event has become a tradition, offering families a unique opportunity to be more engaged in their granddaughters’ high school experience.
The day’s celebration began with a mass, bringing together grandparents, freshwomen and the Xavier community. Following the service, guests were treated to a reception where they could connect with one another and share in the excitement of their granddaughter’s first year of high school.
Grandparents were then taken on personalized tours of the campus by student ambassadors, who proudly showcased the school’s state-of-the-art facilities and highlighted the academic, artistic and athletic programs that Xavier offers. Sister Lynn Winsor, BVM, addressed the gathered families, sharing insights into the values, opportunities and experiences that make Xavier College Preparatory a special place for young women to thrive.
Polly Fitz-Gerald, director of alumnae relations and organizer of the event, noted that, “Most high schools don’t hold Grandparents Day,” she said. “It’s unique and a chance for the grandparents to see their granddaughter’s, who have just started high school, a new school.”
The event drew appreciation from several grandparents who remarked on how much they cherished the opportunity to share in their granddaughters’ lives.
The school says that Grandparents Day remains a testament to Xavier’s commitment to fostering community, connection, and family involvement, ensuring that every freshwoman starts her high school journey with the support of her loved ones by her side.
Xavier College Preparatory is located at 4710 N. 5th St. Learn more at www.xcp.org.
