Phoenix Military Academy Receives $6 Million in Funding for STEM and Leadership Academy Pilot Program

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (IL-D) (middle right) and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reflect during the playing of the National Anthem at Phoenix Military Academy, 145 S. Campbell Ave. Phoenix Military Academy received a $6 million federal grant administered by the U.S. Dept. of Defense (DOD) for a new STEM and Leadership Academy Pilot Program.
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (IL-D) (middle right) and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reflect during the playing of the National Anthem at Phoenix Military Academy, 145 S. Campbell Ave. Phoenix Military Academy received a $6 million federal grant administered by the U.S. Dept. of Defense (DOD) for a new STEM and Leadership Academy Pilot Program. Photo by Lee Edwards.

It is safe to say that students and staff at the Phoenix Military Academy (PMA), 145 S. Campbell Ave., are celebrating right now, thanks to a $6 million a federal grant the school received from the U.S. Dept. of Defense (DOD) for a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Leadership Academy Pilot Program.

The funds will support an accelerated STEM program of study at PMA and a Leadership Academy Program that will help prepare students for college and career success.

Phoenix Military Academy, a Level 1 high performing school ranked by Chicago Public Schools (CPS), was selected to receive the grant after submitting an application in a competitive nationwide process. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel credited PMA’s principal, students and staff’s excellence as the primary factor in winning the grant.

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Photo by: Lee Edwards

Zebedee Ducre, III, is a senior at the Phoenix Military Academy Senior. The school recently received a $6 million federal grant administered by the U.S. Dept. of Defense (DOD) for a new STEM and Leadership Academy Pilot Program.

“The Phoenix Military Academy pilot program will increase access to high-quality STEM education in the City of Chicago and provide leadership development to prepare our students for the technical economy of the 21st century while complementing our citywide STEM education strategy,” said Emanuel. “Whether choosing a career in the service or as a civilian, this effort will give our students the STEM education and leadership skills needed today to seize many more opportunities tomorrow.”

Chicago has the largest Service Leadership program in the country, serving 10,700 students through six CPS Military Academy high schools and a 39-unit Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program. Chicago is the only city with a network of Military Academy High Schools; last year 6,500 students applied for only 900 first-year spots.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (IL-D) was honored to return to PMA where last May he held a Congressional hearing on military service and immigrant contribution. Durbin said that he believed in PMA’s students and how “they can make America better”.

“The pilot program announced today is an investment in STEM education for Chicago's next generation of leaders," said Durbin, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee. “It’s no surprise Chicago’s application for this competitive grant stood out from the pack. When it comes to educating the next generation of leaders and preparing them to succeed, Chicago Military Academies are leading the way.”

Beginning this summer, fifty cadets will be randomly selected from PMA’s freshman class each year for three years to receive enhanced math courses and STEM enrichment activities. By their senior year, students will be on track for Advanced Placement (AP) science and math classes. Half of those students will also participate in leadership development programming, with additional enrichment activities and mentoring.

Chicago Public Schools Director of Military Instruction Colonel (Ret.) Kevin Kelley said that a portion of the grant will be used to make improvements to PMA’s building including the creation of an engineering lab and improvements to the science lab.

“Science, technology, engineering and math is huge in any aspect of defense. It’s also for what they can do in careers outside of the military and we look at this as a primary place where we motivate people to be better citizens, it is not a place to recruit for the military, but should they decide to they would be well prepared for that, ” Kelly said.

To learn more about Phoenix Military Academy visit www.phoenixmilitary.org/.

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