THE COMET TRAIL
Issue 02 • September 2026
September at Zenith: Building Momentum for Fall 2027
September was a milestone month for Zenith College and Career Prep. From our capacity interview with the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools to connecting with future scholars and families across our community, our vision for a personalized, college- and career-connected high school in Maryvale continues to move forward.
From Dr. Samant
September reminded me that building a school is truly a community effort. I’m incredibly grateful for our founding board, partners, families, scholars, and community members who continue to believe in what we are building together. With every conversation and milestone, we are one step closer to welcoming our founding class in Fall 2027.
Dr. Jay Samant
Founder & CEO
Comet Spotlight
Priscila | Former Scholar, Now Special Education Teacher
This month brought a special full-circle moment for Dr. Samant, who had the opportunity to visit the classroom of one of his former scholars, Priscila—now serving students as a special education teacher. Years ago, Priscila shared that she hoped to become a special education teacher. Seeing her now living out that goal is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact educators can have and the incredible things that happen when young people are encouraged to see what is possible for their future. That same belief is at the heart of Zenith: helping scholars discover their purpose, pursue their goals, and one day return as leaders who strengthen their own communities.
What’s Happening
- SEP15thZenith Capacity InterviewZenith’s founding board joined Dr. Samant for our in-person capacity interview with the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools Technical Review Panel. We were especially proud to hear that Zenith had the largest founding board representation at the in-person interview—a reflection of our board’s commitment to the school and the Maryvale community.
- Sep29thVista College Prep High School ShowcaseZenith joined families and scholars at Vista College Prep–Sueño Park for its High School Showcase. We loved meeting future high school scholars and sharing Zenith’s vision for early college, STEAM, career pathways, and a small, personalized school community.
- Sep30thThe Athena Effect : United for EducationZenith leaders Dr. Jay Samant and Dr. Robert Barlow joined education and community leaders at Arizona State University for The Athena Effect: United for Education, sharing perspectives on educational opportunity, representation, leadership, and community impact.
Inside the Classroom
Reimagining the High School Experience
At Zenith, learning won't stop at the classroom door. Scholars will begin career exploration in ninth grade and build toward experiences in areas such as IT and cybersecurity, health sciences, advanced manufacturing, and business and entrepreneurship. Through early college opportunities, STEAM learning, industry credentials, financial literacy, internships, and personalized academic support, our goal is for every scholar to graduate with more than a diploma—with the knowledge, experiences, relationships, and confidence to take their next step.
$50,000
Zenith was awarded another startup grant this month for an amount of $50,000!