PROJECT LEAD THE WAY ENGAGING STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING

Through a partnership with the Great Oaks Career Campuses, Mariemont City Schools is able to provide its students with the national Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum, a series of engineering courses for all grade levels. Mike Rafales, our district’s Project Lead the Way instructor, teaches six courses: Intro to Engineering, Principles of Engineering and Digital Electronics at Mariemont High School; and Flight and Space, Design and Modeling and Medical Detectives at Mariemont Junior High School.

Project Lead the Way recognizes the need for students to access real-world, applied learning experiences that empower them to gain the skills they need to thrive in college, career and beyond.

“Some of these students will go on to study engineering, and others will not,” said Rafales. “But they will all have tools that allow them to solve problems that aren’t just engineering or science. The engineering design process is so universal, it can be used throughout your life in all different aspects.”

The three MJHS Project Lead the Way classes are considered PLTW Gateway Courses which illuminates the range of paths and possibilities students can look forward to in high school. The PLTW high school curriculum is separated into three categories (computer science, engineering and biomedical science) that are designed to empower students to explore possibilities, experiment, learn from failure and turn ideas into reality.

All six Project Lead the Way courses are offered as electives that interested students may select as part of their yearly course schedules.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Warriors Beyond travel trips are back in full force this spring and summer as four trips are currently planned. Students will be traveling to:

• Orlando, Florida

• New York City, New York

• Washington, D.C.

• England/France/Belgium/ Germany/Austria

“Our Project Lead the Way courses provide connections to careers and real-world problem solving,” said Mariemont Junior High School Principal Rob Polca. “These highly engaging elective course offerings provide the opportunity for our students to explore science and engineering career paths, while building upon a strong foundation for STEM learning that will serve students at MJHS, as well as the high school level and beyond.”