Junior Achievement of Arizona (JA) and Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) held a press conference on February 12th to announce a new educational instructional model for students and educators that will be available at Cesar Chavez and Alhambra High Schools starting in the 2025-26 school year.
Called 3DE by Junior Achievement, this innovative high school model brings professionals from high-demand industries into the classroom for project-based learning and competency-based case challenges. Students will learn from several national and local case partners such as Cox Communications, Scooptacular, HonorHealth, Deloitte, and Arby’s. JA is actively identifying funding partners to help sustain and grow 3DE in Phoenix and throughout the state.
Launched in 2015, this model is proven to boost student achievement. Currently, the program is in more than 60 comprehensive high schools in 13 states. Among the impressive results:
- Reduced chronic absenteeism by 20.3%
- Increased graduation rates by 27%
- Increased college enrollment by 30.2%
- Increased reading proficiency by 27.1%
- Increased math proficiency by 34.4%
- 100% of students developed skills towards competency mastery
“We are very excited to partner with PXU to deliver this innovative education instructional model,” said Katherine Cecala, president of JA. “3DE reengineers high school education to be more relevant, experiential, and authentically connected to the complexities of the real world to prepare today’s students for the demands of tomorrow’s economy.”
All 9th-grade students at Cesar Chavez and Alhambra High Schools will have the option of enrolling in the 3DE program starting this fall. The partnership will expand to other grades each year as the initial cohort promotes.
“Through this partnership, PXU is furthering our strategic initiative of strengthening college and career curriculum in our high schools,” said Superintendent Thea Andrade. “Based on the 3DE student achievement data in districts like ours across the country, I am confident 3DE will enhance our students’ abilities to apply their knowledge from the classroom to the real world. Together, we will produce future-ready graduates.”
Today’s complexities require a new educational approach that will position all students for opportunity. 3DE is committed to ensuring students graduate with the skills, mindsets, and goals to be successful after graduation. Our goal is to accelerate economic competitiveness and expand opportunities for all.
Thank you to our amazing speakers Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington, PXU Superintendent Thea Andrade, JA alum and owner of Scooptacular, Nindi Wadhwa, and JA President Katherine Cecala.
If you’re interested in registering a student for 3DE at Cesar Chavez High School, contact Ms. Angela Silvas at asilvas@phoenixunion.org or 602-764-4012. If you’re interested in registering a student for 3DE at Alhambra High School, contact Homar Delgado at hdelgado@phoenixunion.org or 602-764-6028.
To ask questions about 3DE, contact Anne Landers at AnneL@jaaz.org. Learn more by watching this video from FOX 10 below!
About Phoenix Union High School District
Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) is one of the largest and most progressive high school districts in the United States. With 23 schools, over 26,000 students, and nearly 3,500 employees, PXU covers 220-square miles of Arizona’s capital city. PXU is a portfolio district with 11 comprehensive high schools, six small specialty schools, three micro schools, three support schools, and a digital academy. At Phoenix Union, we provide schools of opportunity that welcome, love, and inspire all to go places and do things that matter. To learn more, visit www.pxu.org.
About Junior Achievement of Arizona
Junior Achievement of Arizona is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that equips Arizona students to succeed in work and life by giving them the knowledge and skills they need to manage their money, plan for their future, and make smart academic, career, and economic choices. Since 1957, JA has taught kids kindergarten through high school about financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. The organization’s hands-on, age-appropriate programs are delivered by more than 8,000 corporate and community volunteers. Despite educational obstacles during the pandemic, JA reached approximately 190,000 students in the 2023-2024 school year. Follow @JAArizona on social media or visit https://www.jaaz.org/our-programs/resource-repository/ for more free online educational tools.
