The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) has awarded its Program Excellence Award to McCutcheon High School. The Program Excellence Award is designed to recognize superior K-12 technology and engineering education programs from around the world. McCutcheon was one of 20 schools recognized by the ITEEA this year.
 
McCutcheon received this award because of its goal of focusing on teaching critical thinking, observation and inquiry, technological literacy, and the process of learning instead of solely focusing on the content. The program strives to bridge the gap between subject matter by working with other areas such as the science department. 
 
“It’s important to not only train the next generation how to successfully interact with these products, but also how to create and innovate the next generation technologies,” says Engineering/Technology teacher Zach McKeever. “Our courses provide valuable insight through hands-on exploration of the tools, processes and careers that make our world what it is today and in the future.”

Student Jeremy Hampton, who wrote a letter of support for the school’s nomination, says the classes have helped him gain a better understanding of the STEM field. As a freshman, Jeremy took the biology and engineering-based DBait project as part of an honors biology course: “I very quickly started to enjoy all of the fun and inventive design challenges that Mr. McKeever offered, even winning my class buoyancy challenge. Then during my junior year, because of my want to pursue a career in STEM, I took Mr. McKeever’s Principles of Engineering course so I could further develop my STEM skills from a more advanced perspective. I am doing the DBait project again from a more senior engineering perspective as a way of mentoring the younger freshmen.”

Pictured below with award (left to right) engineering and technology teachers: Mike McKee, Zach McKeever and Justin Resler.