VINTON, IA – Vinton-Shellsburg 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., and one of 2 high schools in the state to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through Project Lead The Way. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in over 12,200 schools across the U.S. 

“The PLTW courses are a great introduction into a career in Engineering. They allow the students to learn about many different disciplines of Engineering and are very team-oriented and project-based. Having the PLTW courses on a student’s transcript looks great when applying to a College of Engineering,” said Instructor Marsha Furlong.

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, Vinton-Shellsburg High School had to meet the following criteria in the 2020-21 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 Vinton-Shellsburg 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.”

For more information on Vinton-Shellsburg’s PLTW program or to set up a school visit, contact Superintendent Koeppen at 319-436-4728 Ext. 5685.