MSD of Decatur Township Elementary Schools Receive National Recognition from Project Lead The Way for Commitment to Empowering Students

The MSD of Decatur Township is Decatur Proud to announce that the following six elementary schools were named “Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Launch Distinguished Schools” for the 2023-2024 school year: Blue Academy, Gold Academy, Lynwood Elementary, Stephen Decatur Elementary, Valley Mills Elementary, and West Newton Elementary.  

This honor is given to a select number of elementary schools across the U.S. for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Launch, an elementary STEM curriculum. PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S., aiming to make every child in every grade STEM successful. 

Project Lead the Way is a nationally recognized program, including curriculum and activities that are integrated into STEAM classes at these schools. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. In grades K-6, all of these disciplines are integrated together for cross-curricular instruction that is focused on real-world applications, hands-on learning, and employability skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. These valuable elementary experiences encourage students to take courses in Middle School and High School that fall under the STEAM subjects.

Ms. Rebecca Bersani, STEAM & PLTW K-6 Coordinator, shared, “I want to thank all of the STEAM Teachers for their hard work in making this program have the impact and success it does. They get a small portion of time to teach a multitude of crucial skills and academic standards and they do it with determination and grace. I also want to thank the principals for guiding them and helping to support their teaching.”

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, each of these six schools had to have more than 75 percent of the student body participating in the program and had to offer at least one PLTW Launch module at each grade level during the 2022-23 school year. 

Studies show that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, and think they are good at math and science. Whether designing a car safety belt or building digital animations based on their own short stories, PLTW Launch students engage in critical and creative thinking, build teamwork skills, and develop a passion for and confidence in STEM subjects. 

“We are honored to recognize Blue Academy, Gold Academy, Lynwood Elementary, Stephen Decatur Elementary, Valley Mills Elementary, and West Newton Elementary 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 beyond the classroom."

MSD of Decatur Township Elementary STEAM Teachers:

Helen Harris, Stephen Decatur Elementary

Maxwell Golden, Lynwood Elementary

Carla Monical, Valley Mills Elementary

Shawn Powers, Blue Academy

Andrew Riester, Gold Academy

Ryan Stroud, West Newton Elementary