WHS receives Project Lead the Way Certification

National recognition is being paid to Walhalla High School for receiving certification for its Project Lead The Way program.  The school has been offering the program since 2001 and this is the second time the school has gone through the national certification process to validate its program.  Project Lead The Way, a nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading provider of STEM or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education programs, offers a rigorous world-class curriculum that allows students to apply what they are learning in math and science class to real-life engineering and technology projects. Project Lead The Way also prides itself on high-quality professional development of its teachers and an engaged network of business, community and university partners to give students the fullest experience. The national Project Lead The Way recognition program distinguishes schools for successfully demonstrating a commitment to the organization’s national standards. Additionally, certification as a Project Lead The Way school provides students with the opportunity to apply for college credit or receive college-level recognition at affiliated universities. Walhalla High School Principal Josh Young said, “We’ve seen how the PLTW program draws more students to engineering and technology courses and gets them thinking about college and their careers. We are extremely proud to be PLTW certified and ecstatic that our students are eligible for college-level recognition, which may include college credit for select PLTW courses, scholarships and admissions preference.” As part of the recognition process, Young, and a team composed of teachers, staff, students, and members of the community submitted a self-assessment of the school’s implementation of Project Lead The Way’s Pathway To Engineering program. A site visit by a PLTW trained team followed. PLTW’s team met with teachers, school administrators, counselors, students, and members of the school’s Partnership Team. A PLTW school’s Partnership Team (sometimes referred to as an Advisory Council) is comprised of teachers, counselors, administrators, post-secondary representatives, business and industry professionals, and other community members who actively support the PLTW program within a school. “Walhalla High School should be congratulated for demonstrating once again its commitment to PLTW’s quality standards,” said PLTW President and CEO Vince Bertram. “The real winners here, however, are Walhalla High School’s students. Students benefit from PLTW’s innovative, project-based curriculum that encourages creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking. We look forward to many more years of working together to prepare Walhalla High School students to become the most innovative and productive in the world.”