Students at Pasadena’s Mayfield Junior School Shine at International Academic Competition, Earn Two National Championships

(L to R) Coach Jill Frazee, Charlie Murphy, Liam Godinez, Yichen Tan, Nate Lee, Guy Butler, and Trevin Ching [Mayfield Junior School photo]

Mayfield Junior School’s Mental Marathoners excelled at the International Academic Competitions (IAC) Middle & Elementary School National Championships in Orlando, Fla., where over 1,700 students competed for five days at the end of May.

Mayfield students captured not one but two national championships. In History, Yichen Tan ’27 and Liam Godinez ’28 were crowned Elementary Division National Champions, winning all nine competitions in a row and achieving the highest total scores among all elementary school teams. In the National History Bee, Tan emerged as the 5th-grade National Champion.

Demonstrating his versatility, Tan also secured 4th Place in the National Academic Bee, showcasing his broad knowledge base and competitive spirit. His dedication and hard work were rewarded in the National Championship Exams, where he won a gold medal in U.S. Military History, a silver medal in Historical Geography, and a bronze medal in Earth Science.

In the National Science Bee, Guy Butler ’27 reached the quarterfinals, and Tan reached the semifinals. Nate Lee ’24, Butler, and Tan all qualified for the International Environmental Science Olympiad in Puerto Rico in December 2024. Tan also qualified for the International History Olympiad in London in July 2025.

Trevin Ching ’28, Butler, Murphy, and Tan were Elementary Division quarterfinalists in the Academic Bowl, a team event covering subjects in the Humanities and Sciences.

Founded in 1931 by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and located adjacent to historic Old Pasadena, Mayfield Junior School is a leading Catholic Independent coeducational school serving Kindergarten to Eighth-Grade students. Mayfield is distinguished by the Holy Child educational philosophy of developing the Whole Child as an intellectual, spiritual, creative, and athletic person. Mayfield’s educational program best prepares students for high school and beyond. Learn more at www.mayfieldjs.org.