Ithaca High School has been recognized as a 2022-23 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is one of 262 high schools across the U.S. and one of eight in New York State to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW’s engineering pathway. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of pre-K-12 students and teachers in more than 12,200 schools across the U.S. The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for this designation, Ithaca High School met the following criteria in the 2021-22 school year:
- Had at least 33 percent of students who participated in PLTW who took two or more PLTW courses;
- Offer and had students enrolled in at least three PLTW courses;
- Have strategies in place that support reasonably proportional representation with regard to race, ethnicity, poverty, and/or gender.
“We are proud to recognize Ithaca High School for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences while ensuring equitable access to PLTW programs,” PLTW President and CEO Dr. David Dimmett said. "We congratulate them on this achievement and celebrate their important work empowering students with the knowledge and skills to succeed, not only in STEM subjects, but also more generally in life and career." Ithaca High School is part of the PLTW community of pre-K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities.