| Volume 37 | Number
2
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Spring
2006
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Francis Tuttle Pre-Engineering Students Go to College By Jeffrey Knapp Forty students will complete their high school careers this spring having invested a part of their learning time in Francis Tuttle's Pre-Engineering Academy. Nearly every one of them has been accepted into a university or college with intentions to pursue an engineering degree, which was one of the goals of the Academy. When the Pre-Engineering Academy was piloted with Edmond Public Schools in the 2003-2004 school year, it was understood that an effective evaluation could not be conducted until those who entered as sophomores had completed the program. This spring is that time, and eighteen students have remained throughout high school, referring to themselves as "charter members." Students who determine that engineering is not for them are considered successes, as well-a measure just as much for parents, as opposed to those students spending one or two years in college, only to find that it is not what they would like to do. With the exception of two students-one going on a one-year missionary trip before college, and one entering the United States Marine Corps-all have been accepted into a university or college, with intentions to pursue engineering as their major. Crescent's Shanee Watson has been accepted as a chemical engineering major at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and says that before she entered the program, she was not sure what engineering was all about. "I knew that the math and science were beyond what my school offered, and I wanted to check it out." Watson said that she has wanted to go to MIT since she was a freshman, but feels that she would not have been accepted without her experiences at the Pre-Engineering Academy. "I would have worked just as hard, but the engineering focus really made the difference." MIT is covering her travel expenses for a school visit next week. Putnam City North's Dan Riggs will attend The United States Military Academy at West Point as a mechanical engineering major. Riggs said "I have been working hard to achieve this goal since the fifth grade. I knew that I wanted to study some form of engineering, and the Pre-Engineering Academy really challenged me. The integration of calculus and physics into engineering is amazing to me. It's really a part of something bigger." Edmond Santa Fe's Lindsey Smith has been accepted as an environmental engineering major at Tennessee Tech University, and is a "charter member" of the Pre-Engineering Academy. Smith said that the Pre-Engineering Academy helped to narrow her focus. "I knew that I wanted to study engineering, but was not sure in what area I wanted to concentrate. We experienced many different aspects of engineering, and what each does in their daily work." "I think that it (the Pre-Engineering Academy) has changed some people's perceptions of CareerTech, and helped me to see that the world can be a very competitive place. All of the extracurricular activities have helped us gain an edge over other students competing for scholarships." Some of the extracurricular activities in which Smith participated include GirlTech (a mentoring program for females considering a non-typical career area), SkillsUSA (student organization), Mu Alpha Theta (mathematics honor society) and USRobotics (a worldwide competition in which students design, build and operate a robot under strict engineering specifications and deadlines). Carissa Muth, a home-schooled Edmond student, will attend The University of Alberta, majoring in mechanical engineering. Muth said that the opportunities available have really helped her build confidence. "Teamwork, public speaking and making presentations are part of being an engineer. Working with my mentor and shadowing real engineers have confirmed my decision, and I feel that I have a one-up on others entering college." Of the remaining students completing the program:
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