Issue link: http://pefpages.uberflip.com/i/1541292
STEM careers are growing rapidly and remain in high demand. PEF proudly supports STEM programs for PVPUSD students in grades 6–12, offering hands-on experiences with robotics, drones, coding, computer design and more. As technology continues to shape our world, it is more important than ever for students to grasp how it works and how it can be applied. STEM education gives students the tools to become tech-savvy prob- lem solvers, preparing them to navigate a rapidly changing landscape and use innovation to make meaningful contributions in their future careers and communities. At our intermediate schools, students can explore STEM through specialized classes such as Design & Modeling, Automation & Robotics, and Intro to Digital Electronics. They also have the opportunity to participate in the annual MATE ROV competition—an international underwater robotics challenge where students design, build, and operate ROVs to com- plete real-world mission tasks. STEM: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH Both Palos Verdes Peninsula High and Palos Verdes High schools have award-winning STEM programs. At PVHS, PVIT (Palos Verdes Institute of Technology) offers hands-on train- ing in electronics, robotics, video game design, fabrication and pro- gramming. The sheer nature of PVIT exposes students to real engineering problems that empowers them to learn real engineering skills. PVHS's PVIT ROV team earned first place at the 2025 MATE ROV World Championships in Michigan—an inter- national competition that puts stu- dents' underwater engineering skills to the test. SMERT (Science, Math, Engineering, Ro- botics and Technology) at Peninsula High School has more than 13 competition teams including Cyber Patriots, Robotics, Solar Engineering and more. Their compe- tition teams continue to place in regional, state, national and international events. Peninsula High's Phantom Catz Team 2637 competed at the 2025 FIRST Robotics World Champion- ship in Houston, going head-to-head with 600+ top teams from around the world. In their third consecutive trip to Worlds, the team brought 41 students and took home the national FIRST Impact Award—recognizing their leadership, innovation, and community impact. Teams completed high-stakes missions like mapping shipwrecks, collecting water samples, and simulating offshore wind tur- bine maintenance. A huge achievement for our students and their innovative minds! Preparing the Next Generation of Thinkers, Makers, and Problem-Solvers