Â鶹Çø

Academy of Engineering at W.T. White 

Mission

The W.T. White Academy of Engineering will prepare all students for world-changing engineering opportunities through project-based learning and will provide a technology driven educational environment to allow for life-changing experiences.

Using PLTW’s activity-, project-, problem-based (APB) instructional approach, students advance from completing structured activities to solving open-ended projects and problems that provide opportunities to develop planning and technical documentation skills, as well as in-demand, transportable skills, such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and ethical reasoning. The last is particularly important as the course encourages students to consider the impacts of engineering decisions. Through both individual and collaborative team activities, projects, and problems, students create solutions to problems as they practice common engineering design and development protocols, such as experimental design, testing, project management, and peer review. In addition, the course emphasizes statistical analysis and mathematical modeling – computational methods that are commonly used in engineering problem-solving. 

9^th grade – Engineering Essentials

The course introduces students to engineering concepts that are applicable across multiple engineering disciplines and empowers them to build technical skills through the use of a variety of engineering tools, such as geographic information systems (GIS), 3-D solid modeling software, and prototyping equipment. Students learn and apply the engineering design process to develop mechanical, electronic, process, and logistical solutions to relevant problems across a variety of industry sectors, including health care, public service, and product development and manufacturing. 

10^th grade – Digital Electronics

From smartphones to appliances, digital circuits are all around us. This course provides a foundation for students who are interested in electrical engineering, electronics, or circuit design. Students study topics such as combinational and sequential logic and are exposed to circuit design tools used in industry, including logic gates, integrated circuits, and programmable logic devices.

11^th grade – Principles of Engineering

Through problems that engage and challenge, students explore a broad range of engineering topics, including mechanisms, the strength of structures and materials, and automation. Students develop skills in problem solving, research, and design while learning strategies for design process documentation, collaboration, and presentation. 

12^th grade Aerospace Engineering

This course propels students’ learning in the fundamentals of atmospheric and space flight. As they explore the physics of flight, students bring the concepts to life by designing an airfoil, propulsion system, and rockets. They learn basic orbital mechanics using industry-standard software. They also explore robot systems through projects such as remotely operated vehicles.