Named a distinguished school for STEM and career learning program
Whiting High School announced today that it has been recognized as a 2020-21 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is one of just 204 high schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Engineering. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in over 12,200 schools across the U.S.
Superintendent Cynthia Scroggins states “Recognition of our PLTW programs on a National Level is a very big accomplishment for a small school. Our PLTW programs have enabled our students to expand their critical thinking and problem solving skills which helps them be successful in other subjects as well. PLTW gives them exposure to the STEM fields and makes them more prepared for the challenges beyond high school in college and employment.”
The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, Whiting High School had to meet the following criteria in the 2019-20 school year:
- Had 95 percent of students take the End-of-Course (EoC) Assessments;
- Had 25 percent of students or more participate in PLTW courses, or of those who participated in PLTW, at least 33 percent took two or more PLTW courses;
- Offer and had students enrolled in at least three PLTW courses;
- Had strategies and procedures in place that support reasonably proportional representation with regard to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender and can support such claims with relevant data.
“It is a great honor to recognize Whiting High School for their unwavering commitment to provide students with an excellent educational experience despite the unusual circumstances and unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented to the educational landscape this past year,” said Dr. Vince Bertram, President and CEO of PLTW. “They should be very proud of their achievements in unlocking their students’ potential and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom no matter what career path they choose.”
Whiting High School is part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition.