PRESS RELEASE – March 30, 2018
Fluvanna County High School announced today that it has been recognized as a Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for providing broad access to transformative learning opportunities for students through PLTW Engineering. It is one of just 133 high schools across the U.S. and one of only four high schools in Virginia to receive this honor. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of K-12 students and teachers in over 10,500 schools across the U.S.
“Fluvanna began offering an engineering program at the High School in 2006-07. The division has worked to develop a K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) initiative, which has allowed the High School Engineering Program to excel. The community partnerships and opportunities at the lower grades have helped to give our students a firm foundation and understanding of the importance of STEAM,” stated Ms. Brenda Gilliam, Executive Director for Instruction and Finance.
Fluvanna offers PLTW programs beginning at grade 6 where Mr. Trey Barlow teaches Automation and Robotics. Seventh graders have the opportunity to take Computer Science or Science of Technology. At the High School, Mr. Ben Hudson teaches Design and Modeling to eighth graders as well as the first High School credit course of Introduction to Engineering Design. Mr. Doug Campbell teaches Aerospace Engineering, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Introduction to Engineering Design, and Principles of Engineering.
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, Fluvanna County High School had to meet the following criteria:
- Offer at least three PLTW courses;
- Have 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;
- Have 70 percent of students or more earn a Proficient or higher on PLTW End-of-Course Assessments, or 10 percent of students earn the AP + PLTW Student Achievement.
Through PLTW programs, students develop STEM knowledge as well as in-demand, transportable skills that they will use both in school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path they take. PLTW EngineeringTM empowers high school students to step into the role of an engineer and adopt a problem-solving mindset. Students engage in collaborative, real-life activities like working with a client to design a home, programming electronic devices or robotic arms, and exploring algae as a biofuel source.
“It is a great honor to recognize Fluvanna County High School for their commitment to students,” said Vince Bertram, President and CEO of PLTW. “They are a model for what school should look like, and they should be very proud of ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to be career ready and successful on any career path they choose.”
Fluvanna is part of a community of K-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.
About PLTW
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and
biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. More than 10,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org.
For more information about Fluvanna’s participation in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) contact: Brenda Gilliam, Executive Director of Instruction and Finance at bgilliam@apps.fluco.org or 434-589-8208.
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