Last week our staff in Peoria hosted approximately 60 students from nearby Richwoods High School as part of Project Lead the Way, a national program focusing on engineering , science, technology, and math. The students stopped by our office for a “real world” glimpse of the design professions at work, then headed over to Bradley University where they visited the Westlake Hall construction project, designed by our professionals.

This is Dewberry’s fourth year hosting students in the Project Lead the Way program. More than two dozen members of our staff have been involved with the program, which is growing rapidly in the Peoria area and throughout the state of Illinois. Students learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills and gain insights into professional careers. Thanks to dedicated teachers such as PLTW Program Coordinator Anne Fox of Richwoods High School and PLTW Engineers for Tomorrow Coordinator Richard Greene of Bradley University, hundreds of students in our area have had the opportunity to learn more about careers in design and construction.

As a PLTW state coordinator, Dick Greene invited us to share our experiences and insights at a statewide conference last fall at the University of Illinois. Programs like PLTW are a vital resource to young students, bringing together academic, professional, and corporate interests to demonstrate the importance of engineering, science, technology, and math in all of our futures. To learn more about PLTW in your area, visit www.pltw.org.