By Betselot Wondimu ‘15

photo by Haley Whitt ’15

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a nationwide organization that is currently the leading provider in K-12 education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Every five years, PLTW, which sponsors Sherwood’s Engineering program, visits a select number of middle and high schools to provide them with certification for their program. This April, Sherwood will become one of several MCPS high schools to receive recognition from PLTW.

In previous years, Sherwood only offered two introductory-level courses that were a part of PLTW’s five-course program: Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering. However, for the first time, Sherwood was able to offer two more of PLTW’s courses this year: Digital Electronics, which deals with exposing “students to the process of combinational and sequential logic design, teamwork, communication methods, engineering standards and technical documentation,” and Civil Engineering and Architecture, which aids students in “completing long-term projects that involve the development of urban planning and property design,” according to Sherwood’s Engineering website.

Some students didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the new opportunities provided to them. Senior Ryan Kendall decided to enroll in both of the new courses provided at Sherwood this year. “When I first heard that Sherwood was offering new Engineering classes, I was really excited. I knew it would be a great way to expand my knowledge in a field that I’m really interested in,” said Kendall. He also noted that the additional courses really build on the content of the previous introductory courses. “Digital Electronics has a lot to do with building circuits and improving problem-solving skills, and Civil Engineering and Architecture deals with creating visually appealing designs given dimensional constraints.”

By next year, Sherwood will offer PLTW’s senior year capstone course, Engineering Design and Development, which allows students to participate in a research design project through the medium of a guided research project. “It’s great that Sherwood students have the opportunity to see if engineering is something they like and to see how they can change the world utilizing it,” said technology education teacher Brendan Lees.

Lees also heads Engineering Without Borders (EWB), a club that allows students to explore engineering principles and apply their newfound skills to global problems. Sherwood students occasionally collaborate with students from the University of Maryland, College Park’s EWB club to work on solving problems and challenges in third-world countries around the world. The expansion of courses offered at Sherwood will allow students to better use their knowledge of engineering toward solving real world issues. “We have had a huge demand from students interested in engineering [for Sherwood to offer the full five-course PLTW program], so it’s exciting that we can offer them this nationally recognized program,” said Lees.