De Soto Junior High School recently was recognized as a 2024-25 Project Lead The Way Distinguished Gateway School, an honor awarded to select middle schools across the country for providing broad access to STEM learning experiences.
PLTW curriculum for science, technology, engineering and math was implemented at the school during the 2023-2024 school year, and Dustin Stockmann, De Soto Junior High PLTW teacher, said the school offers classes in design and modeling; automation and robotics; medical detectives and app creators. He said the recognition is an honor considering this is just the school’s second year offering the STEM courses.
Stockmann said the PLTW Distinguished School designation celebrates schools that increase student access, engagement and achievement in PLTW programs. To qualify, schools must meet rigorous criteria, including offering multiple PLTW classes, maintaining high student participation and demonstrating efforts to ensure access for all students.
“PLTW has transformed how our students engage with real-world problem-solving, collaboration and discovering their passions,” he said. “It’s been wonderful to see their ideas move from paper designs to functional creations.”
Stockmann said design and modeling teaches students how to use 3D modeling software and develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills through product design, while the automation and robotics course lets students work with mechanical systems, sensors and programming, often using VEX kits, allowing students to build technical and teamwork skills.
He said the medical detectives course allows students to step into the role of real-world biomedical professionals by solving medical mysteries using scientific investigation and lab techniques.
The app creator class gives students a chance to build their own apps, helping them learn logic, coding and user-focused design.
“These students are getting early exposure to engineering practices, biomedical science and computer science course learning,” Stockmann said. “The PLTW gateway courses that we offer at De Soto are well supported, and the students do seem to enjoy these different courses and what they are learning from them. The interactive and tech-driven nature of the curriculum tends to resonate well with these students and what they are exposed to.
“Teachers also report that students often look forward to PLTW classes and talk about them positively with peers and parents even after they are finished with the course. This has led to students talking to incoming students on what course they want to take and how they can be successful in these different courses.”
Superintendent Ron Farrow said he was excited to learn the school had been recognized as a PLTW Distinguished Gateway School.
“This reflects the incredible work of our educators and the growing enthusiasm of our students as they explore real-world learning through STEM and biomedical pathways,” he said. “PLTW has expanded opportunities for our students to engage deeply in critical thinking, innovation and hands-on problem-solving. We are excited to continue building a dynamic pathway that empowers students to grow, discover and thrive in the fields of science, technology, engineering and medicine.”
According to the Project Lead The Way website, research shows that the middle school years are pivotal for shaping high school, college and career success, and it’s important for students to engage in real-world learning experience that show the range of career paths available to them.