Enrichment & Electives
Mesa Arizona ESA Enrichment Programs: Aviation, Athletics, Martial Arts & More (2026 Guide)
Mesa Arizona ESA enrichment programs: Kids in Aviation, A2Z Sports Training, EMK Martial Arts, Spartan Nation, and more — what ESA pays for in the East Valley.
6 min read · Updated
More programs in this guide
Kids in Aviation
We are an inclusive aviation education company. We offer discovery flights, aviation classes, and flight training for kids ages 7 and up.
A2Z Sports Training
At A2Z, we develop the complete athlete,body, mind, and character. Rooted in biblical principles of discipline, perseverance, excellence, and community, our programs help young people build confidence, overcome challenges, and pursue their God-given potential through sports. We emphasize proper mechanics, injury prevention, measurable progress, and a positive, encouraging environment where faith and family values are celebrated. Many of our coaches are former athletes and long-time A2Z families who now pour into the next generation.
EMK teaching Martial arts, Self defense, Leadership skills and more!
Our mission is to build strong leaders in the community. One family and one black belt at a time. We are open from 2pm-8pm and offer multiple classes every day.
Spartan Nation Combatives and Fitness
We teach ages 5-80 years old Mixed Martial Arts. Kickboxing, Submission Wrestling, MMA, and Strength & Conditioning. Our mission statement: Spartan Nation exists to emotionally balance, physically transform, and mentally elevate. We have a wide variety of classes available. Martial arts teaches great lessons that apply to every aspect of life. Come. Find your Greatness.
EVAC (East Valley Athletes for Christ)
Christian homeschool sports program forming teams that compete in the Canyon Athletic Association. Athletes must be homeschooled with at least 51% of core subjects taught by a parent; teams start as young as 6th grade.
Private Music Teacher; Piano, Violin/Viola, Cello & Flute
Ms. Taylor is a 2007 graduate from Point Loma Nazarene University, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education followed by a Masters of Arts in Education from Chapman University earned in 2012. She has been teaching public school music for over 13 years and teaching private music lessons for over 15 years. She is currently teaching music in the Arizona public schools. Additionally, Ms. Taylor travels as a gig performer and performs at churches on the side. Ryley considers it a tremendous privilege to be in such a position to shape and mold the mind of a child, perhaps changing the course of lives forever. Her goal is to inspire her students to use music as a vehicle to delight, discover and express who they are as their very own individual person. She will seek to give them a unique confidence as their eyes are opened to their potential through the power of music. Ms. Taylor is primarily a strings and piano specialist, as well as plays and teaches the flute.
Private Vocal Lessons - Voice lessons with Nicole at Performers Playhouse
I teach weekly private voice lessons grounded in vocal pedagogy. My approach is simple: everything it takes to sing is a muscle. So we train those muscles the way an athlete trains, building toward the strongest, most controlled, and best sound your voice can make. Learning doesn't stop when the lesson ends. Every student gets a private online portal where I upload their weekly exercises, vocal performance tracks, and audition repertoire. Students are expected to practice there four times a week between lessons, so real progress happens week over week. My training is rigorous, and it's also genuinely fun. When you combine joy with hard work, there's nothing you can't do, and that combination has carried past students to Broadway, Disney, and American Idol. Strong vocal technique pays off far beyond singing. The same skills that power a great performance help you present to executives in a conference room, preach from the pulpit, and carry confidence into everyday conversation.
Mesa has the deepest ESA enrichment bench in the East Valley — from certified flight instruction for seven-year-olds to complete-athlete training to full-contact martial arts. This guide covers what Arizona ESA pays for in Mesa, which specific programs accept ESA, and how to build a weekly enrichment rhythm around a $7,000-$8,000 ESA award.
Does ESA pay for enrichment classes in Mesa?
Yes. Arizona's universal Empowerment Scholarship Account covers structured instruction from a qualified provider. Aviation, athletic training, martial arts, combatives, music, art, robotics, coding, and homeschool PE all clear when the vendor teaches on a curriculum. Family gym memberships, open-play drop-ins, and recreational league fees are not covered.
Rulebook: the Arizona ESA enrichment hub and the ESA and extracurriculars guide.
The Mesa enrichment landscape
Mesa is home to some of the most distinctive ESA-eligible programs in Arizona — the kind of programs that make families move here specifically for the enrichment access.
- Kids in Aviation — Mesa's flagship aviation program. Discovery flights, aviation classes, and flight training for kids as young as seven, under a certified flight instructor, in real aircraft. ESA-eligible STEM/enrichment.
- A2Z Sports Training — complete-athlete training rooted in biblical principles. Structured athletic instruction from qualified coaches — exactly what ESA's PE line item was built for.
- EMK Martial Arts, Self Defense, Leadership — Mesa martial arts with a heavy leadership and character focus.
- Spartan Nation Combatives and Fitness — Mesa combatives and fitness training on an instructional model.
Add nearby options in Chandler (Little Dragons MMA, Conquer Ninja) and Gilbert (Hammer & Strings music, Desert Stars cheer) and you have one of the strongest ESA enrichment corridors in Arizona.
Browse the full local directory at the Mesa programs page.
What ESA covers in Mesa, category by category
Aviation, STEM, and CTE
Aviation classes and discovery flights from a certified provider are approved as STEM enrichment or career-and-technical education. Mesa's Kids in Aviation is the anchor program for the East Valley.
Martial arts, combatives, athletics
Structured martial arts, combatives, and athletic training with a curriculum and progression are approved as PE. EMK, Spartan Nation, and A2Z Sports Training all serve Mesa homeschool families.
Music and fine arts
Weekly music lessons, studio art classes, dance classes with a teacher, and theater programs all clear. See ESA-approved music instructors.
STEM, coding, robotics
Class-based coding, robotics, chess, and homeschool science labs qualify. Arizona Science Center homeschool days are ESA-billable.
Homeschool PE and adventure
Small-group PE, swim lessons, gymnastics, sports skills clinics, and instructional adventure programs (mountain biking with a guide, scuba certification) are approved. Season fees for recreational leagues are not.
A realistic Mesa ESA enrichment budget
| Category | Vendor pattern | Approx annual |
|---|---|---|
| Aviation classes | Kids in Aviation (block hours) | $1,500 |
| Athletic / martial arts training | A2Z or EMK ($150/mo × 10) | $1,500 |
| Weekly music lessons | Local instructor ($40/wk × 30) | $1,200 |
| Homeschool art class | Studio class ($80/mo × 10) | $800 |
| Enrichment subtotal | ~$5,000 |
Most Mesa families spend the balance on curriculum and tutoring — see how to use ESA funds for curriculum.
How to pay ESA for a Mesa enrichment vendor
- Confirm ClassWallet vendor status with the program directly.
- Pay through ClassWallet when the program is a registered vendor.
- Reimbursement — upload itemized receipts for non-vendors.
- Pre-approval for aviation flight time or anything unusual before you commit.
The ESA Assistant will talk through a specific expense before submission.
Beyond enrichment
- Mesa Christian microschools
- Mesa Christian homeschool co-ops
- Mesa Christian hybrid homeschools
- Mesa Christian homeschool tutors
- Arizona ESA guide
Confirm current ClassWallet vendor status and tuition with each program before enrolling.
Still have ESA questions?
Ask the Arizona ESA Assistant - a chat grounded in ADE policy, ClassWallet rules, and Arizona homeschool law. Try one of these, or type your own.
- Can I use ESA funds for Bible curriculum in Arizona?
- How long does ClassWallet reimbursement take?
- What curriculum is on Arizona's ESA approved list?
- Can I switch from public school to a microschool mid-year with ESA?
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. Always confirm current rules with the Arizona Department of Education.
Part of the ESA & funding hub
Arizona ESA Guide
How Empowerment Scholarship Accounts work, what they pay for, and how to apply through ClassWallet.
More from the ESA & funding hub
- Arizona ESA Guide (2026): Eligibility, Funds, and How to Apply
Arizona ESA in 2026: every K-12 student qualifies, ~$7,000-$8,000/year for curriculum, tutoring, microschool, hybrid, online, and more. Eligibility, funds, how to apply.
- Arizona ESA-Approved Bible Curriculum: 2026 Family Guide
Use Arizona ESA funds for Bible-based homeschool curriculum. How approval works, which Christian publishers qualify, and how to buy through ClassWallet in 2026.
- How to Use Arizona ESA Funds for Curriculum (2026 Guide)
Step-by-step playbook for spending Arizona ESA funds on curriculum: what's approved, what gets denied, ClassWallet vs reimbursement, and a publisher-by-publisher list.
- Arizona Homeschool Enrichment: Art, Music, PE, Drama & More (2026 Guide)
Arizona homeschool enrichment guide: art, music, PE, drama, coding, foreign language, and hands-on science — what's ESA-covered and how to build a weekly rhythm.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm current rules with the Arizona Department of Education before acting.