SMHS Partnership & Applied Science Initiative

About Sunrise Mountain High School & PUSD #11

 Established in 1996 in Peoria, Arizona, Sunrise Mountain High School (SMHS) is a flagship secondary campus within the Peoria Unified School District #11. Serving the Northwest Valley since 1889, PUSD #11 is one of Arizona’s premier public school districts, educating over 35,000 students with a strong commitment to academic excellence, career and technical innovation, and community engagement. SMHS consistently ranks among the top-performing high schools in the state, recognized for high academic standards and student achievement.

The Partnership

Connecting foundational physics principles with cutting-edge technology, this partnership brings science out of the classroom and directly into the school community. To carry out Jim Fosgate’s lifelong mission, this project centers on two core wishes: educating others on the science of acoustic recreation and sharing the experience of pure, immersive sound—delivering music with such presence and depth that listeners feel as though they are standing right alongside the performers.

Through a custom-engineered mobile audio demonstrator, science concepts like sound wave propagation, frequency response, acoustics, and power distribution come to life. The cart serves as an active learning platform during physics instruction and applied science demonstrations, giving students a tangible look at engineering principles in action.

Beyond the classroom, the partnership extends into schoolwide culture and community events. The system will be featured during staff gatherings, student activities, and home games, providing high-fidelity audio while serving as a dynamic, interactive showcase of applied technology and music appreciation.