BLOOMDALE — Elmwood Local Schools has been recognized as a 2021-22 Project Lead the Way Distinguished School.
It is one of just 191 high schools and one of 134 middle schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Engineering.
PLTW Engineering empowers high school and middle 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.
Elmwood Local Schools started implementing the PLTW curriculum in the middle school in 2010 and in the high school in 2011. All the middle school and high school courses are taught by Eric Poffenbaugh.
Since 2013 the Elmwood engineering program has sent multiple students onto college all across the country in the field of engineering. This years graduating class has five members committed to various schools in engineering fieldsL Tyler Shaffer will be going to the University of Cincinnati and majoring in mechanical engineering, Casey Frank will be going to Ohio University and majoring in mechanical engineering, Will Sorensen is going to Jacksonville University in Florida and majoring in mechanical engineering, Colton Ickes is attending Owens Community College and then transferring to the University of Toledo and majoring in civil engineering, and Devan Lloyd will be attending the University of Toledo and majoring in mechanical engineering.
Elmwood Middle School is one of 27 schools in Ohio to earn the recognition. This is the fourth year in a row that Elmwood has earned the national recognition for their Gateway to Technology Program that they offer in grades 6-8. Students receive courses on energy and the environment, design and modeling, magic of electrons, and automation and robotics.
This is the second year in a row that Elmwood High School has earned the national recognition for their engineering program. They are one of just 26 schools in the state of Ohio to receive this honor. Students in the high school engineering program take course on introduction to engineering, principles of engineering, civil engineering and architecture and engineering design and development.
Project Lead the Way is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in over 12,200 schools across the U.S.
