Stories of inspiration

Cultivating Future-Ready Problem Solvers: PSFI Celebrates the Impact of the Shell NXplorers Program (2019–2025)

February 27, 2026

For six transformative years, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), in partnership with Shell Pilipinas Corporation, advanced a clear vision: equip young Filipinos not only with knowledge, but with the mindset and tools to navigate and solve complex global challenges.

From 2019 to June 2025, the Shell NXplorers Program in the Philippines reached 2,716 students and 421 teachers across 101 schools, strengthening STEM capabilities nationwide and nurturing a generation of systems thinkers.

A Methodology That Moves Minds

Launched locally in 2019, NXplorers introduced high school students (Grades 8–12) and educators to systems thinking, scenario planning, and theory of change. These tools were designed to help participants unpack complex issues in food, water, and energy and design practical, sustainability-driven solutions.

Rather than providing ready-made answers, NXplorers trained students to ask sharper questions and think through interconnected systems. Through facilitated workshops conducted both in person and online during the pandemic years, participants explored real-world challenges and built actionable responses rooted in critical thinking and collaboration.

The program complemented existing curricula and was adaptable across socio-economic contexts, making STEM learning accessible, relevant, and purpose-driven.

By the Numbers: Reach and Results

From 2019 to 2025, the program achieved:

2,716 students engaged
- 2,606 high school students
- 110 college students (Shell Eco-Marathon teams)
421 teachers trained in NXplorers methodology
101 schools engaged nationwide
121 Shell staff volunteers mobilized, contributing 1,991 volunteer hours

Monitoring and evaluation data reflected strong outcomes:

99% of students felt more confident engaging in real-world issues
88% were more likely to pursue STEM in the future
97% reported improvement in STEM Habits of Mind, including creative problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration
83% of teachers felt more confident teaching STEM concepts
99% of teachers observed improvement in their students’ STEM skills

These results demonstrate not only participation, but measurable growth in capability and confidence.

The Bright Ideas Challenge: Innovation in Action

A key feature of the program was the Shell NXplorers The Bright Ideas Challenge (TBIC), a culminating platform where students presented sustainability-focused solutions developed through the NXplorers methodology.

Across four challenge cycles:

97 student projects were generated
457 students participated
52 schools were represented

Projects addressed pressing issues in food security, water management, and energy use, reinforcing the program’s focus on real-world application and community relevance.

Strengthening Educators and Industry Engagement

Beyond student development, NXplorers invested in educators through professional development sessions, refresher courses, and structured learning materials. Teachers reported stronger facilitation strategies and improved classroom engagement.

The program also strengthened Shell’s community engagement through employee volunteerism. Shell staff contributed time and expertise as mentors and facilitators, building bridges between industry and education and reinforcing knowledge-sharing across sectors.

A Legacy of Systems Thinkers

An impact study covering 2019 to 2023 documented significant educational and social gains. Students demonstrated improved systems thinking, leadership, and collaboration skills. Teachers reported more dynamic learning environments and stronger integration of STEM concepts.

Importantly, students developed a deeper awareness of community challenges and a sense of shared responsibility in designing solutions.

As the Philippine implementation concluded in June 2025, PSFI recommended conducting an internal review to sustain gains, refine best practices, and explore integration within formal education systems and broader partnerships.

The program’s run has reached a milestone, but the mindset it cultivated endures.

When young people learn to explore, create, and change, they do more than solve problems.
They build the capacity to shape a more resilient and sustainable future.

At 28, Arlene Yago chose to return to school, carrying with her the words her father once told her: “Mag-aral ka para sa akin.” A young mother from Pasacao, Camarines Sur, Arlene became a 2025 scholar of the Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL) program in Electronics NC II, stepping into a field she never imagined for herself.

Shortly after her training began, she lost her father. Instead of stopping, she pressed on, honoring his dream through perseverance and hard work. Today, Arlene’s journey is more than a certification earned. It is a promise fulfilled and a future steadily being built for her family.

Shell LiveWire 2025: Growing Enterprises, Powering Possibilities

From 2020 to 2025, Shell LiveWire supported 157 Community Enterprises and 26 Tech Startups nationwide. In 2025 alone, the program reached 47 community enterprises, provided startup capital to 42 enterprises, and awarded equity-free grants to five tech startups across 10 sites nationwide.

Through structured training, mentorship, and partnerships with LGUs, national agencies, and innovation hubs, Shell LiveWire helps Filipino entrepreneurs strengthen livelihoods, create jobs, and develop solutions that enable communities to thrive.

Building Better Pathways, One Ecobrick at a Time

In Batangas City, discarded plastic was transformed into safer walkways for children through an Ecobrick Laying Activity led by Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), together with Shell Business Operations and Shell Import Facility Tabangao. With 5,000 ecobricks turned over and 57 volunteers working side by side, school pathways at Tabangao Ambulong Elementary School and San Isidro Day Care Center were strengthened—creating cleaner, safer spaces for learning and play.

The initiative forms part of PSFI’s Community Activity Support (CAS) program, which has reached over 30,000 individuals nationwide since 2023 through education, health, and environmental efforts. Read how sustainability and partnership are building better pathways for communities.

Nourishing Young Lives: Thaison Volunteers Bring Care and Nutrition to RTS Light in Mabalacat City

On January 27, 2026, the Family Care Center in Marcos Village, Mabalacat City, became a space of shared care and learning through the Roots to Shoots (RTS) Light Program. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), with the support of Thaison Builders and Developer, Inc. (TBDI), Clark Development Corporation, Barangay Nutrition and Health Workers, FCC teachers, and parent volunteers, conducted a nutrition-focused feeding activity for 25 pre-school children.

Building on hands-on volunteerism, TBDI staff helped prepare and serve nutrient-rich meals, then led a storytelling session that reinforced positive values and healthy habits. The activity also strengthened parental awareness through short, interactive nutrition education led by health workers, reflecting RTS Light’s goal of nourishing children while deepening community participation and ownership.

From Sidelines to Systems: How a USP Scholar Rewrote His Code for Success

What started as freelance computer repairs arranged through Facebook has evolved into a registered tech enterprise for John Joshua Boyore of Angono, Rizal. Through Unlad Sa Pasada (USP) of Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., and with the support of the Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation (BCYF), John gained not only financial assistance but structured entrepreneurial training that transformed his mindset, formalized his operations, and strengthened his long-term vision.

From reactive hustle to strategic growth, his journey shows how access to education and business discipline can turn technical skill into sustainable opportunity.

Growing Health, Growing Hope: Roots to Shoots Deepens Impact in Aeta Communities

Since 2023, the Roots to Shoots Program has strengthened Aeta communities in Bamban, Tarlac and Mabalacat City, Pampanga through integrated support in child nutrition, food security, livelihood development, and water access.

As of 2025, more than 2,000 individuals have been reached, with measurable gains in nutrition recovery, farmer training, enterprise development, and the construction of a community-managed water system.

Now in its second year, Roots to Shoots continues to demonstrate that healthier children thrive when households are economically stable and communities are supported by strong, sustainable systems.