Garden City High School named PLTW Distinguished High School

Garden City High School is proud to announce it has been recognized as a 2025-26 Project Lead The Way Distinguished High School.

The PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition celebrates districts and schools committed to helping students own their education by increasing student access, engagement and achievement in their PLTW programs. PLTW empowers millions of students across the U.S. to unlock their potential by developing the in-demand, real-world knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom.

GCHS earned this recognition because of its strong PLTW program, which is intentionally designed to ensure all students are aware of and have access to meaningful engineering pathways. This begins in middle school, where all eighth graders take a half-year PLTW elective that builds foundational skills and introduces the high school sequence, including Design and Drawing for Production and additional PLTW courses in grades 10–12. School counselors and teachers further reinforce awareness by actively promoting PLTW during course selection and helping students connect these offerings to future college and career goals.

Access to the program is inclusive and flexible; the introductory high school course is open to all students without prerequisites, and multiple entry points allow students to join the pathway at different grade levels. Teachers also use differentiated instruction and scaffolded assignments to ensure students of all skill levels can participate and succeed. Additional supports — including alternative entry points for upperclassmen, extra help sessions, teacher availability outside of class and structured collaboration — further strengthen student success and create an inclusive learning environment for all.

The program uses ongoing data to monitor both access and achievement. Teachers review student reflections, grades and project-based assessments to identify trends and provide targeted support when needed. In addition, the curriculum emphasizes representation and relevance. Open-ended design challenges connect engineering concepts to student interests, while diverse real-world examples help students see themselves in engineering fields and build a stronger sense of belonging.

For the application, Garden City’s K–12 Coordinator of Science and Engineering Ms. Joanna Rogosich submitted the school’s PLTW student enrollment data, including information on year-to-year student retention within the program. She also provided an overview of the district’s PLTW program, highlighting strategies used to ensure equitable access, expand student participation and support success across all PLTW offerings.

The district congratulates Garden City High School on this outstanding achievement.