Grand Terrace High School was recognized recently as a 2022-23 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for its Engineering Pathway and its efforts to expose students to careers in engineering and real-world applications for the technical skills they learn in their engineering classes.
PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in more than 12,200 schools across the U.S. GTHS’ engineering pathway is designed as a multi-year, comprehensive program that engages them through project-based learning in the classroom.
"I enjoyed the engineering pathway because it allowed me to collaborate with my friends on fun projects,” senior Ezekiel Sihaloho said. “It also gave me the opportunity to expand my knowledge on certain world problems and attempt to solve them through engineering."
GTHS is one of 262 high schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW’s computer science, engineering, and biomedical pathways.
“The goal is to give the students as many opportunities as possible to explore the fields and skills they will need to be successful as adults in the future,” teacher Matthew Johnson said. “We want to give our students the opportunity to explore, fail until they succeed, and gain confidence in problem-solving solutions that will help them in all ranges of their future lives."
Recently, representatives from Arevon Energy, Rosendin Electric, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers spoke with students about the Condor Energy Storage Project, which broke ground near the school in February. When complete, it will provide battery storage to help increase the reliability of the energy grid during peak demand times and help reduce blackouts in Grand Terrace in the surrounding area.
They also described how battery storage works. They talked to the students about the electrical industry and engineering and what they look like when applied in the real world and about apprenticeships and opportunities available in our region.
“Arevon’s commitment extends beyond providing renewable energy solutions to communities; we also strive to empower and inspire the next generation,” said Jeffrey Lee, Community Relations Director at Arevon. “By nurturing students’ curiosity and passion for STEM education, we lay the foundation to develop a talented and diverse workforce that will continue to drive innovation and lead the clean energy transition.”
The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. “We are proud to recognize Grand Terrace High School for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences while ensuring equitable access to PLTW programs,” said Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO. "We congratulate them on this achievement and celebrate their important work empowering students with the knowledge and skills to succeed, not only in STEM subjects but also more generally in life and career."
Students in Grand Terrace High School’s Engineering pathway take four years of technical classes alongside their other subjects, including Introduction to Design, Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics, and Engineering and Design Development.
"As a member of the engineering pathway for 4 years I can honestly say it has been the best program I have been a part of,” senior Krystal Luna said. “There is so much room for creativity and innovation within the classes. The pathway allows you to not only learn about the fundamentals of engineering but to execute them in fun collaborative projects. It is a different kind of learning that can be molded for everyone."
The GTHS Engineering Pathway is one of numerous career pathways and career technical education courses available throughout the Colton Joint Unified School District, including pathways in medical fields, art and design, welding, business entrepreneurship, hospitality, and law enforcement.
“We are proud to be able to offer these opportunities to our students,” Superintendent Frank Miranda said. “We strive to provide them with skills and connections that will help them navigate successfully to the next stage of their journeys when they graduate from our schools.”