The Pre-Engineering Academy at the Academies@Englewood is a career academy where our goal is to inspire learners to become great problem-solvers, creative thinkers and team collaborators to prepare students for a highly competitive college program and lucrative career in the field of Engineering. We instill the values of critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity through engaging project-based learning experiences. Our students learn how to use the engineering design process and STEM concepts to successfully solve engineering design problems through projects relating to real-world application.

Our Academy utilizes curriculum from Project Lead the Way. PLTW's mission is to prepare students for the global economy by providing K-12 STEM programs to public, private, and charter schools in all 50 states. The program offers a problem-based curriculum combined with teacher professional development. All instructors in the Pre-Engineering Academy have been specially trained and certified for the courses they teach through PLTW training locations at Pennsylvania State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Bucknell University and University of Maryland.

The four-year course of study is as follows:

lntroduction to Engineering Design (IED) - Students learn how to work the engineering designprocess to solve engineering and real-world problems. The professional computer-aided design (CAD) software, Autodesk Inventor, is learned and used by students to test their design solutions in a 3-D prototyping environment. The skills learned in this class will prepare students for the following three years of courses.

Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) - Students learn how computers are used in theautomated manufacturing processes to control the machines that build products. Vex Robotics products are utilized to engage in different robotics projects. Students will also learn how to use the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) code, G&M Machine code, to control milling machines. Students will learn software used to operate robot arms.

Principles of Engineering (POE) - Students learn how mathematics and science principles are used in the design and implementation of engineering systems. The activities and content in this course are designed to dovetail with the content of the standard 11th grade physics courses.

Engineering Design and Development (EDD) - This is the senior capstone course that requiresall students to research, design and develop a new or improved system or product. New inventions or processes can be patented.