Pre-Engineering Students Present Capstone Prototypes

Students in the Kenmore East and Kenmore West Project Lead the Way (PLTW) pre-engineering programs recently presented prototypes they invented, designed, and manufactured from scratch in order to solve a particular real-life problem.

One group of students at Kenmore East created a Ladder Stabilization System to improve ladder safety and stability. Another group created an Automatic LEGO Sorting Device capable of sorting LEGO pieces by color. And at Kenmore West, the projects included a Telescopic Arm Attachment for Weed Whackers specially designed to safeguard siding and fencing.

It was the culmination of their PLTW coursework as students worked under the guidance of Kenmore East teacher Alex Sowyrda and Kenmore West teacher Michael Sierzchula. As part of this program, students are challenged to come up with an engineering solution addressing a real-world problem using the skills and experience they gained in the PLTW program.

Teams of students start by conducting research to choose, validate, and justify a technical problem. After carefully defining the problem, teams then design, build, and test their solutions while working closely with industry professionals. Finally, student teams must present and defend their prototypes. They also create exhibits showcasing their projects and discussing their findings, everything from how much it would likely retail to and how it could be improved upon.

Students did an amazing job identifying a wide range of real-life nuisances, finding creative ways to solve them, and showcasing their problem-solving and engineering design skills.

Project Lead the Way is an internationally recognized pre-engineering curriculum which is especially valuable for students interested in careers in STEM fields. All PLTW courses offer college credit through several postsecondary institutions and give students the opportunity to earn a Technical Endorsement on their diploma.