Allentown Engineering Academy (AEA) is applying for a charter to operate within the Allentown School District. If the charter is granted, the school will serve 660 students, Grades K-12, with a planned opening of Grades 6-8 in the fall of 2013. Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 will be added in the second, third, fourth, and fifth years of operation, respectively.  K-5 is planned to be added in subsequent renewal years.

Our school will adopt the Pathway To Engineering | High School Engineering Program to serve our high school students as they prepare for entrance to college, a curriculum prepared by Project Lead The Way (http://beta.pltw.org/).

The PLTW Pathway To Engineering (PTE) program is a sequence of courses, which follows a proven hands-on, real-world problem-solving approach to learning. Throughout PTE, students learn and apply the design process, acquire strong teamwork and communication proficiency and develop organizational, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills. They discover the answers to questions like how are things made and what processes go into creating products? Students use the same industry-leading 3D design software used by companies like Intel, Lockheed Martin and Pixar. They explore aerodynamics, astronautics and space life sciences. Students apply biological and engineering concepts related to biomechanics – think robotics. They design, test and actually construct circuits and devices such as smart phones and tablets and work collaboratively on a culminating capstone project. This educational approach is at the heart of today’s high-tech, high-skill global economy.

During the first year of implementation, Project lead the Way schools are required to offer at least one of the foundation courses and ultimately implement both foundation courses and one or more of the five specialization courses and/or capstone course.

PTE courses complement traditional mathematics and science courses and can serve as the foundation for science-centered or specialized academies. The program is designed to prepare students to pursue a post-secondary education and careers in science and engineering-related fields.

All students will receive the skills and the mentoring needed to set educational and career goals and to succeed in college and in the competitive world beyond college. Our vision is that students will continue their education and find meaningful employment within the Lehigh Valley and beyond, thereby enriching their own lives and strengthening our community.