Superintendent of CUSD schools, Dr. Camille Casteel stated that the district had a partnership with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in January during a meeting at Chandler Center for the Arts. The program through Embry Riddle is expected to open at Basha High this year; Perry and Chandler High the following year.

According to its web site, Embry Riddle (founded in 1925) is a school designed to “teach the science, practice, and business of the world of aviation and aerospace.” Currently with two residential campuses and more than 150 worldwide locations, Embry Riddle is credited with being the largest college specializing in aviation and aerospace.

‘The curriculum covers the operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing, and management of modern aircraft and the systems that support them’.
There are currently 34,593 students enrolled who attend one of the two real campuses or through online classes offered. As of 2012 there was a 13:1 ratio of students to faculty.

“This is a partnership for engineering,” Assistant Principal Joe Greene said. “We will have an ‘Intro to Engineering’ class [next year].”

Partnering with Embry Riddle has given S.T.E.M. participants and on-level students, to participate in engineering classes. There may also be a dual enrollment aspect to the classes offered in the fall.

“As we move onto the next level, we would like to add higher level engineering courses,” Green said.

As of registration, there are 14 on-level students who have signed up, and Greene is anticipating that more will come flocking in for the classes being offered.
“This partnership [with Embry Riddle] adds to the prestige of our school,” he said.
Joining the program, PHS is giving students more of an opportunity when they graduate and are deciding which college to attend, along with already having some college courses completed.

As of next year, the school and others in the CUSD district will be offering engineering basics to students, whether in S.T.E.M. or not.