📍 Penn High School | 🗓 March 7–8, 2026
🎟 Admission: Free

Penn High School will host a FIRST Indiana Robotics District Competition on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, 2026. The competition will take place in the Main Arena and feature more than 40 teams from across Indiana.

Click here to see a photo gallery of last year’s competition.

📅 Event Schedule

Saturday, March 7

• 10:30 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies

• All Day – Qualification Matches

• @7:00 p.m. – Competition concludes

• 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. – Next Gen Day (Fitness Center)

Sunday, March 8

• 9:30 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies

• 2:00–5:00 p.m. – Playoff Matches & Awards

🤖 About the Competition

• Theme: FIRST AGE (Archaeology)

• Game: REBUILT

• This event serves as a qualifier for the FIRST Indiana Robotics Championship
  (April 17–19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds)

• Top teams may advance to the FIRST Robotics World Championships

👉 Click here for more information on the REBUILT game

🚗 Parking & Entry

• Parking: Penn High School parking lots: Main, Softball, Soccer; and across the street at Schmucker Middle School

• Spectator Entrance: Door D (northwest corner of the school)

🍔 Food & Amenities

• Food trucks available both days

• Spectator-friendly event for all ages

🚀 Next Gen Day (Saturday Only)

11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Fitness Center
Kids and families can explore robots, hands-on STEM activities, and future-focused technology during this interactive experience. Next Gen is open to all fans attending the tournament and immediately follows Books & Bots, which is only for P-H-M elementary students.

Come cheer on Indiana’s best student engineers and experience innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving in action!

Penn High School proudly recognized members of the Class of 2025 who have committed to careers in education—an inspiring step toward shaping future classrooms. Click here to see the full photo gallery posted below.

The Teacher Signing Day, similar to a College Signing Day for student-athletes, was held in the Studio Theater on Tuesday, May 13.

Students wore shirts representing their college of choice and announced their academic decisions, field of speciality in education, and named their favorite Penn-Harris-Madison teachers.

Under Penn High School’s Family and Consumer Sciences program, students who are interested in pursuing a career in education can prepare for the profession by taking several courses, such as Early Childhood Education and Cadet Teaching.

“This event is important to highlight and celebrate those students who are pursuing a career in education,” said Penn instructor Rachael Meyers, who oversees Cadet Teaching.

Meyers said that Penn plays a key role in preparing students for careers in education.

“The education professions pathway has continued to grow and evolve  and teachers throughout the district continue to partner with the program,” Meyers said. “This opportunity allows students to explore the skills necessary to pursue a career in education.

“The world of education is constantly changing,” Meyers continued. “The needs of our students change from year-to-year. This program helps foster a vision for students who are considering at the very least to work with children of all ages.  The program also highlights the possible directions education might go.”

Students received letters of intent from Penn-Harris-Madison guaranteeing the students a job interview for a teaching position upon completion of their degree and teaching licensure.

Their decision reflects the heart of P-H-M’s “Triangle of Success,” where students, teachers, and parents work together to build a foundation of excellence.

P-H-M Director of Human Resources Robert Thompson said that P-H-M is committed to staying connected with these students.

“We will continue to reach out, offer mentorship opportunities, and support your professional growth as you prepare for a future in education,” Thompson stated. “We look forward to the day when you may return to Penn-Harris-Madison to inspire the next generation of Kingsmen—just as you were once inspired.”

Below is the list of graduating students who participated in this morning’s ceremony with their intended college/university and major, along with their inspiring teacher:

• Hannah Abad, Ball State University, Elementary Education, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Wachs
• Ruth Bautista, Indiana University South Bend, Elementary Education, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Wachs (not present at the ceremony, but will receive a letter of intent)
• Olivia Bennett, Indiana University South Bend, Special Education, inspiring teacher: Mr. Blazo
• Chloe Bowering, Indiana University South Bend, Special Education, inspiring teacher: Mr. Sanders
• Kate Diaz, Ball State University, Elementary Education, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Wetzel
• Kiley Ellis, Indiana University South Bend, Elementary Education, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Schenkel
• Lizzy Green, Ball State University, Elementary Education, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Meyers and Mrs. Wetzel
• Megan Kennedy, Ball State University, Elementary Education, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Obert
• Katherine Kollar, Ball State University, Secondary English, inspiring teachers: Ms. Armstrong, Mr. Coffee and Mrs. Meyers
• Kyleigh Mason, Indiana University Bloomington, Elementary Education, inspiring teachers: Mrs. Wetzel and Mrs. Meyers
• Reagan Miller, Indiana University South Bend, Early Childhood, inspiring teacher: Mrs. Wetzel
• Arianna Rice, Indiana University South Bend, Elementary Education, inspiring teachers: Mr. Keck and Mrs. Wachs

Penn High School’s Class of 2025 Commencement Ceremony will be held at 7 p.m., June 9, 2025, at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

Click here for info on livestream of Commencement for friends and family not in attendance. 

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Former Penn Volleyball Star Annie Drews and Team USA Volleyball won the Silver Medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Drews helped lead Team USA to its first Volleyball Gold Medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. She played on Penn’s State Championship Volleyball Teams in 2010 and 2011.

Drews visited Penn on Aug. 27, 2021, after winning the Gold Medal. Click here for a write-up and Photo Gallery of her 2021 visit.

Team USA lost to Italy in the 2024 Olympics Gold Match match, 3-0, on Sunday, Aug. 11, in Paris.

Drews has been a member of Team USA Volleyball since 2017.

Click here for Drew’s Team USA Bio.