Students to lead the way at conference

Saratiga High group to give presentation in Orlando

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Students and educators from Saratoga Springs High School are among an elite group selected to present to more than 2,000 attendees at the national Project Lead The Way conference in Orlando next month.

As PLTW celebrates its 20th Anniversary, Saratoga Springs High School is one of the earliest PLTW schools, offering PLTW since 1999. Today, in addition to taking PLTW courses, students run an organization to increase early access to STEM. PLTW Engineering Design and Development students started Education Young Engineers in 2013 to provide a Saturday program with hands-on activities for elementary students.

PLTW, a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers, serves more than 10,500 schools across the U.S.

“I couldn’t be more proud of what our students and teachers have accomplished in the area of STEM education over the past few years. At Saratoga, we are focused on providing our students with the foundational skills to be successful in the global economy, and this national recognition from PLTW helps to validate those efforts. Moving forward, we will look to expand our course programming in the areas of computer science and biomedical technology to create more opportunities for Saratoga students,” said Joseph Greco, the district’s director of K-12 math, science and technology integration.

“Project Lead the Way creates a perfect storm for organizations like Educating Young Engineers to thrive. I’ve always said that kids have great ideas. PLTW helps them develop the skills, opportunity and space for those ideas to come to life. With the district’s dedication to giving students a K-12 PLTW experience, the program has been able to grow to what it is today,” said Michael Gallagher, a Project Lead the Way teacher.

PLTW Summit 2017 is the premier gathering for a group dedicated to preparing students with the in-demand and transportable skills they need to succeed in college and careers. Guests will include educators, students, university leaders, and business and industry leaders.

Saratoga Springs High School students will will be one of 18 groups to present during the general session and have a presentation space in the conference’s exhibit hall to interact one-on-one with attendees. They will also have the opportunity to network with PLTW alumni and leaders from businesses and higher education institutions interested in students with STEM skills.

“Saratoga Springs High School is a true champion of PLTW’s relevant, engaging approach to learning, teaching, and community engagement,” said PLTW Senior Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer David Dimmett. “We’ve invited them to share their stories to inspire attendees and provide best practices that can be taken back to other communities to benefit students across the country. We are thrilled to have PLTW students and teachers from Saratoga Springs High School joining us in Orlando for PLTW Summit 2017.”

PLTW Summit 2017 will feature generation expert Matt Beaudreau as a keynote speaker. Beaudreau will identify ways to better engage K-12 students in their learning and address topics including communicating, collaborating, and problemsolving with people from different generations.

Saratoga Springs High School’s students will have the opportunity to meet with Beaudreau and learn about the different communication behaviors in each generation to help them as they think about their futures in college and career.