Phoenix Challenge marks 29th annual competition

The Phoenix Challenge Foundation has hosted its 29th annual High School Skills Competition at the CPCC Campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, bringing together high school and career tech center flexographic printing students from across the country to compete in technical and problem-solving challenges.

First place was awarded to Sadie Laarman and Zoe Steele of Careerline Tech Center, with Austin Johnson and Destiny Zindle of CTC of Lackawanna County in second and Paisley VanKampen and Selah Greene of Careerline Tech Center in third.

Students were evaluated across prepress and plate mounting, press operation, math skills and production efficiency. Sponsors for the 2026 event included Anderson and Vreeland, Harper Corporation of America, FFTA, Miraclon, JR Cole Industries, Brooke and Whittle, TLMI, the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation, Graymills and DuPont.

'These students are not only demonstrating exceptional skill but also helping to shape the future of our industry,' said Bettylyn Krafft of the Phoenix Challenge Foundation.