Stories of inspiration

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

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.

Related stories:

Growing What Matters: From Nutrition to Livelihood, Communities Take Root in Pasacao

Communities in Pasacao are growing more than just vegetables. Through the Roots to Shoots: Pasacao 2.0 program, families are strengthening child nutrition, building sustainable livelihoods, and learning how to produce food from their own backyards. In 2025, the program supported 50 children through nutrition rehabilitation, empowered 43 caregivers with livelihood opportunities, and trained 18 caregivers in home gardening, helping communities cultivate healthier futures and stronger resilience.

Planting Seeds for Food Security: 26 Grade 12 Learners Achieve 100% in Agricultural Crop Production NC II

Twenty-six Grade 12 learners from Sulpicio A. Roco Memorial High School achieved a 100% passing rate in the Agricultural Crop Production NC II assessment after completing 320 hours of classroom instruction and farm immersion at PSFI’s Shell Training Farm in Bombon through DepEd’s JDVP. Certified as Competent in core crop production and essential workplace and safety skills, the fourth batch of graduates is now better positioned for employment, entrepreneurship, or further studies in agriculture, supporting stronger youth participation in food security and sustainable farming.

A Promise Fulfilled: Arlene Yago’s Journey as a 2025 SKIL Scholar

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.