St. Paul’s School gets nod for STEM program

    The St. Paul’s School has received national certification for its Project Lead The Way (PLTW) program, which it has offered since 2010.
    PLTW, a nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading provider of STEM (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.
    The national recognition program distinguishes schools for successfully demonstrating a commitment to PLTW’s standards. Additionally, certification as a PLTW school provides students with the opportunity to apply for college credit or receive college-level recognition at affiliated universities when they successfully complete select courses in high school.
    “We’ve seen how the PLTW program draws more students to engineering and technology courses and gets them thinking about college and their careers,” said Trevor Watkins, assistant principal at St. Paul’s. “We are extremely proud to be PLTW-certified and that our students are eligible for college-level recognition.”
    Seven members of the St. Paul’s faculty have been trained as instructors in PLTW, four in the engineering component and three in the biomedical curriculum.
    St. Paul’s administration and staff developed a vision for the engineering program and then worked to create an increased opportunity for students to take multiple courses. The engineering extracurricular projects like the Shell Eco Car, undersea ROVs, and FIRST Robotics allowed students to utilize their PLTW skills in solving problems outside the classroom.
    “St. Paul’s should be congratulated for demonstrating once again its commitment to PLTW’s quality standards,” said company president and CEO Vince Bertram. “The real winners here, however, are students. We look forward to many more years of working together to prepare St. Paul’s students to become the most innovative and productive in the world.”
    For additional information on the program and sponsorship opportunities, contact Watkins at (985) 892-3200, ext. 1282.