"Project Lead The Way"

Diane Leveridge, Director, Project Lead the Way Kentucky at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering

Project Lead The Way® (PLTW) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses for middle and high school students. PLTW forms partnerships with public schools, higher education institutions and the private sector to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and engineering technologists graduating from our educational system.

Mrs. Leveridge shared with us the premises under which PLTW has been adopted at the University of Kentucky. The hope is that PLTW will help with Engineering and STEM Pipeline development, reach to the "Middle 60" percent of the student population, encourage ALL STEM opportunities, improve technical intellectual capital at all levels, stretch students thinking skills, improve problem solving skills, and increase technical competence and confidence. The program was recommended in the 2006 National Academies Report and by the 2005 Student Regional Education Board Report.

PLTW is a national organization founded in New York under the vision of Richard Liebich and Sysco Foods. The original intent was to expand to 40 schools in New York state. The current program has 3,000-plus schools across the US and a national support staff based out of New York as well as regional staff points of contact. In Kentucky, the PLTW consists of the Kentucky State Leader, Affiliate Director, UK staff, Summer Training Institute Staff, Industry Partners, HS Administrators, Counselors, Teachers, and Regional School Boards.

A PLTW Partnership Team provides a community support system for technology and science, links the schools and the communities they serve, and provides additional math and science resources to students and teachers.

The PLTW Curriculum spans elementary to high school levels, but usually begins with elementary schools. The goal is to start early to reach the "Middle 60." The Elementary School consists of modules a few days in duration. The Middle School program, "Gateway to Technology," is also modular, but the modules last between six and nine weeks. The High School program, "Pathway to Engineering," is a four-year integrated study course that prepares students for college majors in engineering and technology and offers opportunities for them to earn college credit.

In Kentucky, PLTW serves 40 out of 176 school districts and three Community Colleges. 13 new PLTW schools have registered for the next iteration, including 7 high schools and 6 middle schools. The schools have a 2-step certification process which involves an initial visit by the regional PLTW team and a certification visit in the second or third year of the program.

PLTW hopes to expand its program into all Kentucky school districts but will need $13.74 M in pending stimulus funding to accomplish this.

In her closing remarks, Mrs. Leveridge applauded Lone Oak High School. They have 81 students pre-enrolled in the program before its first year-a record for Kentucky! Congratulations, Lone Oak High School!