Ten Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) high schools have been recognized as a 2024-25 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School.
PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that creates transformative learning experiences and empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills for future careers. PLTW high school programs prepare today’s students for the careers of tomorrow by incorporating STEM skills into their learning and by building students’ collaboration, teamwork and communication skills so they can be ready for whatever path they take.
The LCPS schools that were recognized are:
Briar Woods High School
Freedom High School
Heritage High School
Independence High School
Lightridge High School
Loudoun Valley High School
Riverside High School
Stone Bridge High School
Tuscarora High School
Woodgrove High School
Five of these schools – Briar Woods, Freedom, Heritage, Loudoun Valley and Woodgrove – received the award for the second year in a row.
These 10 LCPS PLTW schools are among a select group of high schools from across the U.S. to be recognized for their commitment to inspire and engage students to unlock their potential through their PLTW program. Nationwide, 661 high schools received this recognition, with 22 of those schools from Virginia.
"We are incredibly proud of our 10 outstanding schools for receiving recognition from Project Lead the Way,” said Superintendent Aaron Spence. “This achievement reflects the dedication of our educators, the enthusiasm of our students, and the LCPS commitment to innovative, hands-on learning. As a committed leader in STEM education and workforce readiness, LCPS is helping shape the future and empower the next generation of leaders.”
The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible, schools had to meet multiple criteria, such as the number of PLTW courses available to students, the percentage of students enrolled in PLTW, and the percentage of students taking more than one PLTW course.
The 10 schools listed above are now part of a community comprised of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a commitment to providing students with inspiring, engaging and empowering learning opportunities. Read more about PLTW’s Distinguished Program Recognition.
.