Taft Early Learning Center STEAM Lab Receives National Recognition for Commitment to Empowering Students

Named a distinguished school for STEM curriculum and career readiness

UXBRIDGE, MA – Taft Early Learning Center STEAM Lab announced today that it has been recognized as a 2022-2023 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is one of 492 schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Launch. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S.

"We are honored to receive this recognition. Ms. Gallerani has done an outstanding job integrating PLTW with 100 percent of our students in Kindergarten through Grade 3.  The hands-on experiences and opportunities that have been provided to students in our STEAM lab and the partnerships we have formed with our other district buildings has vertically aligned us K-12 as well as provided early exposure to a multitude of career pathways for our youngest learners."

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, STEAM Lab had to have more than 75 percent of the student body participating in the program and had to offer at least one PLTW Launch module at each grade level during the 2021-22 school year.

Studies show that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, and think they’re good at math and science. Whether designing a car safety belt or building digital animations based on their own short stories, PLTW Launch students engage in critical and creative thinking, build teamwork skills, and develop a passion for and confidence in STEM subjects. 

“We are proud to recognize Taft STEAM Lab for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences while ensuring equitable access to PLTW programs,” said Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO. "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."

Taft STEAM Lab is part of a community of PreK-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. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org. 

About PLTW

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a mission-driven organization that is transforming the learning experience for millions of PreK-12 students and thousands of teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. Approximately 12,200 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org