Educating Middle School Students on the Engineering Careers of the Future
Englewood, Ohio - The Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) partnered with Northmont City Schools to offer a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program for Northmont eighth graders. The program, in its second year, provides every Northmont eighth grader the opportunity to learn more about careers in engineering.
According to www.pltw.org, “Project Lead The Way is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. We create an engaging classroom environment unlike any other. PLTW empowers students to develop and apply in-demand, transportable skills by exploring real-world challenges. Through our pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, students not only learn technical skills, but also learn to solve problems, think critically and creatively, communicate, and collaborate. We also provide teachers with the training, resources, and support they need to engage students in real-world learning.”
The Northmont-MVCTC PLTW Satellite Program is made possible by the partnership between both districts. MVCTC instructor Jayme Boston is the PLTW instructor at Northmont Middle School. With resources provided by both school districts, students are able to participate in this classroom environment that prepares them for a 21st century workforce.
In the PLTW Automation and Robotics curriculum, students explore the career fields of computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering by building ten mechanisms and writing ROBOTC programs to solve challenges using the Design Process as a problem-solving tool.
Mrs. Boston expanded on the learning objectives saying, “Students complete four challenges: two mechanical challenges and two automated challenges. The mechanical challenges include building a windmill and pull toy. The automated challenges include designing a spinning sign for a business and a drag race robot.”
The Northmont-MVCTC Project Lead the Way program was recently selected to participate in the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) “Student Achievement Fair”. The Annual OSBA Student Achievement Fair is part of the Capital Conference held every November in Columbus. Northmont-MVCTC students demonstrated skills they have learned in the program for school board members and administrators from across the state.
What started almost 50 years ago as the Montgomery County Joint Vocational School (JVS) has transformed into the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC). While the name has changed, the mission remains the same. MVCTC is dedicated to providing training for in-demand jobs and college-readiness skills for high school and adult students across Darke, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Warren Counties.
For more information about MVCTC, visit www.mvctc.com or follow MVCTC on Facebook (Facebook.com/MVCTC) or Twitter (Twitter.com/MVCTC).
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Photo – Northmont-MVCTC Project Lead the Way program allows Northmont eighth graders to explore engineering careers. The program was recently recognized at the Ohio School Boards Association Student Achievement Fair in Columbus. Pictured left to right - Jayme Boston (MVCTC PLTW Instructor), Joe Taylor, Jocelynn Asbra, Theresa Lingenfelter (MVCTC Supervisor), Tony Thomas (Northmont Superintendent), and Janelle Tipton.
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