Rockwood High Schools Named Project Lead the Way ‘Distinguished’ Schools

For the fifth year in a row, all four Rockwood School District high schools have earned the Distinguished School designation from Project Lead the Way (PLTW).

Eureka, Lafayette, Marquette and Rockwood Summit are among 291 schools from around the nation and 26 from Missouri to be named a Distinguished School, a designation that recognizes schools that are committed to increasing student access, engagement and achievement in PLTW courses.

“We are very proud and ecstatic that, for the fifth year in a row, all four of our high schools have been recognized as PLTW Distinguished Schools,” said Rockwood Coordinator of STEM and Digital Learning Brian Reed. “The combination of the achievements and rigor of the programs at all of our schools, the creative and innovative teachers and the longevity of the program in combination with the students we serve paved the way for PLTW to bestow this tremendous honor and achievement.”

PLTW courses provide transformative learning experiences for students and teachers through courses that cultivate an engaging, hands-on classroom environment in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

Rockwood offers an assortment of biomedical science and engineering courses that align with PLTW standards. The hands-on learning projects in these courses can range anywhere from designing water-balloon launchers in Principles of Engineering to analyzing fake crime scenes in Principles of Biomedical Sciences.

Nearly 1,750 Rockwood students attended PLTW courses during the 2023-2024 school year – more than 950 at the high school level and nearly 800 in middle school.

During this school year, two Rockwood Summit students earned PLTW scholarships at the organization’s Senior Showcase in April for work they did in their Biomedical Innovations class, and a team of two Lafayette students was named a state finalist for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition for a project they conceived in their Engineering Design and Development class.

“We are honored to recognize these schools 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 dedication to empowering students with the knowledge and skills to succeed, not only in STEM subjects, but also preparing them for future careers and life outside of the classroom."