STEM Programs

HP integrates its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) curriculum program through embedded projects. In support of the STEM program, the school has partnered with Project Lead the Way (PLTW) in exposing its students to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. The PLTW program engages students in activities, projects, and problem-based learning, which provides hands-on classroom experiences. HP’s students create, design, build, discover, collaborate and solve problems while applying what they learn in math and science. They are exposed to STEM fields through professionals from local industries who supplement the real-world aspect of the curriculum through mentorships and workplace experiences.

The PLTW curriculum is founded in the fundamental problem-solving and critical-thinking skills taught in traditional career and technical education along with national academic and technical learning standards and STEM principles, creating what U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan calls one of the “great models of the new CTE succeeding all across the country.” PLTW was recently cited by the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a “model for 21st century career and technical education.”

  • PLTW alumni are studying engineering and technology at five to ten times the average rate of all students.
  • PLTW students have a higher retention rate in college engineering, science, and related programs than other students in those areas.
  • 97% of PLTW seniors intend to pursue a four-year degree or higher; compared to the national average of 67%.
  • 80% of PLTW seniors say they will study engineering, technology, or computer science in college; compared to the national average of 32%.
  • PLTW students achieve significantly higher scores in reading, mathematics, and science than Career and Technical Education (CTE) students in the same schools in similar CTE fields.

HP students will be required to complete the following courses as a requirement for graduation:

  • Introduction to Engineering & Design (IED)
  • Principles of Engineering & Design (POE)
  • Aerospace Engineering (AE)

Additionally, HP students will have an opportunity to take the following courses for elective credit:

  • Civil Engineering & Architecture (CEA)
  • Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)
  • Engineering Design & Development (EDD)
  • Principles of Biomedical Engineering (PBE)
  • Digital Electronics (DE)
  • AP Computer Science (CS)
  • Cyber Security (CS)