The Phoenix Challenge Foundation, an educational foundation dedicated to promoting and attracting high school students to flexographic careers, has announced that the 2010 Phoenix Challenge Competition will take place March 24-26 at the Harper National Flexographic Center, located on the Harper campus of Central Piedmont Community college in Charlotte, NC, USA.

The 13th annual Phoenix Challenge Competition is an energetic event designed to heighten the awareness of and excitement for flexography among students and teachers across the educational system, both domestically and internationally. The annual contest consists of a variety of skills tests, including flexo print knowledge, prepress, platemaking, critical math skills and hands-on printing techniques. Students compete in teams for the top seat in the Flexo Challenge, and can walk away with thousands of dollars in scholarship funds, as well as the prestigious “Harper Trophy Cup” to display permanently at their school. The competition continues to grow year after year, and has attracted students across North America.

“The Phoenix Challenge Flexo Skills Competition is a great forum to promote flexo to our youth, and to provide a great career path in a fun, interactive and challenging way,” says Bettylyn Krafft, executive director of The Phoenix Challenge Foundation. “The foundation continues to make our future flexographers a priority, but not without the support and funding from the entire industry.”

To make this event a success and the Phoenix Challenge Foundation a possibility, the organization depends on the generous support of industry suppliers, converters and organizations.

The Foundation exists solely through donations made by the flexographic industry to cover operating expenses, scholarships, and to support the Phoenix Challenge Flexo Skills Competition. Major sponsors have included: All Printing Resources, Anderson & Vreeland, Inc, Anagram, Avery Dennison, Benton Graphics, Bryce Corporation, DuPont, Econo Products, FFTA/TEST, Flexo Exchange, Harper Corporation of America, Howard B. Vreeland Jr., Jet USA, JR Cole Industries, Mark Andy, Parks Printing, UPM Raflatac, Ron and Katherine Harper, Southern Graphics, Sun Chemical, The Charlotte Observer, and Actega Wit.