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Battlefield, Charles J. Colgan Sr., Patriot, and Woodbridge High Schools, and Pennington Traditional School have received national recognition from Project Lead the Way (PLTW) as Distinguished Schools for increasing student access and achievement in PLTW programs. Battlefield, Colgan, Patriot, and Woodbridge High are four of 143 high schools in the U.S., and four of 12 in Virginia to receive this honor.

This is the first year Battlefield and Colgan High, and Pennington Traditional have received this distinction, and the second consecutive year for Woodbridge High. Patriot High is one of two schools in the state to receive this recognition three years in a row. The schools and districts are being recognized for their commitment to empowering students to develop skills that will help them thrive in an ever-changing world, while achieving exemplary results in their PLTW programs.

"It is a great honor to congratulate these schools on their recognition as a PLTW Distinguished School," said Dr. Vince Bertram, president and CEO of PLTW. "The work they do is among the most important in our society. Designation as a PLTW Distinguished School displays their commitment to increasing access and achievement in PLTW programs."

To be eligible for the designation, schools must meet the following criteria:

  • Offer and have students enrolled in at least three PLTW courses;
  • Have 25% or more students participate in PLTW courses, or of those who participated in PLTW, at least 33% take two or more PLTW courses;
  • Have 95% of students take the end-of-course assessments;
  • Have strategies and procedures in place that support reasonably proportional representation with regard to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender and can support such claims with relevant data.

Through PLTW programs, students develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge as well as in-demand, transportable skills that they will use both in school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path they take.

Battlefield, Colgan, Patriot, Woodbridge, and Pennington are part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. Learn more about PLTW's recognition program.

PLTW is a mission-driven organization that is transforming the learning experience for millions of PreK-12 students and thousands of teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW's teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. Approximately 12,200 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org.