AchieveTexasinAction
CareerResources
ProjectLeadTheWay
Districtsshouldprovideopportunitiesfor McNeilHighSchool,RoundRock
studentstoconductresearchoncareer IndependentSchoolDistrict
options,localemploymenttrends,and
www.roundrockisd.org
economiccompetitiveness.
Fortunately,thereareanincreasing
numberoftoolsavailable forstudentsto
Undertheguidanceofexperiencedprofessionals,
researchcollegeandcareeroptions.
futureengineersarestartingontheroutetobecoming
Technologyprovidesopportunityfor
high-techprofessionalsatMcNeilHighSchoolinthe
studentstoaccessresourcessuchasthe
RoundRockIndependentSchoolDistrict.
InternetversionoftheOccupational
McNeilishometotheonlyengineeringacademyin
OutlookHandbook(www.bls.gov/oco),
thedistrict.Theacademyfeaturescurriculumfrom
“TheProjectLeadThe
America’sCareerInfoNet
ProjectLeadTheWay(PLTW),anationwideprogram
(www.acinet.org/acinet),TexasIndustry
aimedatsolvingtheUnitedStates’engineershortage.
Waycoursesarea
ClusterInitiative(www.twc.state.tx.us/news/
Thenot-for-profitorganizationprovidesengineering
ticluster.html)andLaborMarketCareer
curriculumtomorethan1,750schoolsin46statesand
greatwayforstudents
Information(LMCI)(www.cdr.state.tx.us).
theDistrictofColumbia.Thecurriculumisfree,but
toexperience
(Foralistofcareerinformationresources
schoolsmustprovidesoftware,hardware,andother
seepage20orwww.achievetexas.org.)
suppliesfortheprogram.
engineeringwhilein
“WhenMcNeilbeganimplementingProjectLead
highschool.They
TeachersasCareer Advisers
TheWayin2001,”saysLisaWindolf,theAcademy
UnderAchieveTexas,itishopedthat
Coordinator,“theschoolwantedexperiencedengineers allowstudentsto
teacherswilltakeamoreactiverolein
toteach.And,sofar,theentirefacultyconsistsof
advisingstudentsaboutcareerchoices.After
formerengineers.”
applylessonsin
parents,teachershavethemostinfluenceon
Windolf,whowasachemicalengineerformore
realworking
thecareerdirectionsstudentschoose.
than14years,addsthattheengineers’professional
Teachersareofteninthebestpositionto
contactsandexperiencepayoffforstudents.
environments.”
identifyastudent’sabilitiesandpassions,
“Therearelocalfirmswhocomerecruitingour
— LisaWindolf,Engineering
andtoencouragestudentstofollowthem.
students,”shesays.Thesecallsoftentranslateinto
AcademyCoordinator/Lead
Theideaisthatguidanceisaschool-wide
summerjobsandcareerpreparationopportunities.
Instructor,McNeilHighSchool
responsibility,carriedoutbyateamthat
“Nothingismorevaluabletothemthanseeingthethings
includescounselors,teachers,parents,and
they’relearningcometolife.”
thestudentsthemselves.
Suchexperienceshaveledtosignificantstudentachievement,asalmost25percentofthe
Youhavetheopportunitytodesignand
2005–2006engineeringacademyseniorshavebeenofferedearlyacceptancetopostsecondary
buildamuchmoreeffectiveguidance
engineeringorcomputerscienceprograms.Morethan40percentofthepreviousyear’sacademy
programforyourlocalschools.Likeall
seniorswentontostudyengineeringandrelatedfieldsafterhighschool.
elementsofAchieveTexas,thisprogram
Windolfsaysonereasonfortheengineeringacademy’ssuccessisthatitisnotselective.Anystudent
shouldfocusontreatingeachstudentasan
intheRoundRockISDwhoisinterestedinengineeringisencouragedtotransfertotheacademyat
individualandhelpinghimorherfindthe
McNeil.“We’lltakeeveryone,”shesays.“Partofmyjobistogetstudentsexcitedaboutengineering;
bestroutetosuccess.
anotherpartistohelpsomestudentsfindoutthatengineeringisnotforthem.Butbygivingeverystudent
achancetoparticipate,wedrawavarietyofskillsandtalentsfordifferentaspectsofengineering.”
McNeil’sengineeringacademyoffersfouroutoftheeightpossiblePLTWsecondarycourses.
Theclasses—I ntroductiontoEngineeringDesign,PrinciplesofEngineering,DigitalElectronics,and
EngineeringDesignandDevelopment—are integratedwithmath,computerscience,and
engineeringgraphicscoursestoofferstudentsacomprehensivefour-yearpre-engineering
educationsequence.OnlythefirsttwoPLTWcoursesarerequiredforallstudentsintheacademy.
Theacademyisenjoyingaboominpopularity.Fromabout160academystudentsinthe
2005–2006schoolyear,nextyear’senrollmentisprojecttobemorethan200students.
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