Highland Prep West announced new course offerings through Project Lead the Way (PLTW) for the 2023-2024 school year. Highland Prep West is a world-class STEM college preparatory high school that opened to freshmen in August of 2022. As Highland Prep West expands to offer world-class curriculum to both freshmen and sophomores next year, it is also expanding its Engineering course selection to include both Aerospace and Civil Engineering and Architecture. All PLTW courses are offered for college credit.
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Aerospace Engineering “ignites students’ learning in the fundamentals of atmospheric and space flight,” per the PLTW Aerospace Engineering Course Outline. Students will expand upon introductory learning they experienced this year within the context of atmospheric and space flight. Students will test flight components related to aerodynamics, such as airfoil, propulsion systems, and rockets. The course is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), further preparing students for the critical thinking necessary to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. Students may earn up to three college credits upon the successful complete of the Aerospace course.
Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA) is another specialized course in the PLTW Engineering Program. Students will be introduced to important aspects of building and site design and development. Students will apply math, science, and engineering practices to design both residential and commercial projects and document their work using 3D architectural design software. By the end of the course, students will be well-equipped to solve problems of common practice as individuals and within collaborative teams, as well as understand design and development protocols such as project management and peer review. CEA is also offered for college credit.
Highland Prep West is committed to preparing students to thrive in the future. 91% of STEM occupations request in-demand, transportable skills in the majority of openings. Highland Prep West’s rigorous STEM curriculum allows students to explore a variety of engineering fields while obtaining these critical 21st century skills. In a study of female high school students in PLTW courses, 76% indicated they believe they can become an engineer and 62% believe that PLTW encouraged them to major in STEM in college. We are preparing our students for the demands of tomorrow’s workforce one PLTW course at a time. “I definitely think that Highland Prep West expands our minds and what we can do as women in STEM,” says Isabella Rendon, a freshman at the school. “The NASA Space App Challenge, STEM fairs, internship opportunities in STEM-related fields, and college research assignments all get us thinking early on about what we want to do in the future. Highland Prep West really impacts students’ futures and we hope to share that excitement with students who are coming in next year, too.”
For more information regarding Highland Prep West’s rigorous STEM curriculum, student organizations, and other aspects of student life, visit www.highlandprepwest.org.
