Center for Advanced Technical Studies engineering program earns prestigious PLTW certification

CHAPIN, SC – The Center for Advanced Technical Studies has received national certification for its Project Lead the Way engineering program.

This is the second PLTW certification for the Lexington-Richland District Five school, which earned the designation for its biomedical science program in 2013. A national leader in providing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics education) education programs, PLTW provides curriculum focused on real-world activities, projects and problems. The nonprofit organization also provides professional development for teachers and an engaged network of business, community and university partners.

“The Center should be congratulated for demonstrating once again its commitment to PLTW’s quality standards,” said PLTW President and CEO Vince Bertram. “The real winners here, however, are The Center’s students. Students benefit from PLTW’s innovative, project-based curriculum that encourages creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. We look forward to many more years of working together to prepare The Center’s students for the global economy.”

The national certification recognizes schools for successfully demonstrating a commitment to PLTW’s national standards. Certification as a PLTW program also provides students with the opportunity to apply for college credit or receive college-level recognition at PLTW-affiliated universities when they successfully complete select courses in high school. PLTW has more than 50 college, university and research partners, including the University of South Carolina.

“The engineering program at The Center received its highest recognition and approval by Project Lead The Way in a recent onsite review and certification of the program,” said Dr. Bob Couch, director of The Center. “This places a stamp of approval on the curriculum, program, teacher, and the capstone projects being completed by the students. The review team acknowledged that Dr. (Martin) Cwiakala is an extraordinary teacher that gives major credibility to the program. We are excited about the certification and what it means for our students.”

The Center for Advanced Technical Studies provides a standalone facility for District Five students to build technical skills, gain certifications and earn college credits. Opened in August 2012 and attended by students from the district’s four high schools, The Center offers high-tech courses in a variety of areas from biomedical science and auto mechanics to alternative energy and graphic design.

As part of the certification process,a team composed of administrators, teachers, staff, students and members of the community submitted a self-assessment of the school’s implementation of PLTW’s engineering program. A site visit by a PLTW trained team followed. PLTW’s team met with teachers, school administrators, counselors, students and members of the school’s “Partnership Team.”

Cwiakala said, “By going through a process like this with an external review, it means you have other eyes that are objectively looking at what you’re doing and providing feedback to make sure it is consistent. So, it gives us quality in a sort of big picture sense. It’s also a stamp of approval for us and says that we’re providing our students with the skills they’ll need to be successful in future careers.”

Center for Advanced Technical Studies Instructor Dr. Martin Cwiakala talks to students in his engineering class about Google Glass, a wearable computer made available to The Center and a few thousand other handpicked “Explorers” nationwide. The Lexington-Richland District Five school announced recently that it has received national certification for its Project Lead the Way engineering program.