***NEWS RELEASE***
STEVENSVILLE, MD – Queen Anne’s County Public Schools (QACPS) is proud to announce that Kent Island High School (KIHS) has been recognized as a 2025-2026 Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is among a select group of high schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for its commitment to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in career-connected learning. Additionally, KIHS is the only high school in the state of Maryland to earn this recognition for the ninth year in a row. Through its PLTW Biomedical Science and Engineering programs, KIHS is helping students develop transferable skills needed to succeed in an evolving future.
“We are incredibly proud of this recognition as a PLTW Distinguished School, marking the ninth year in a row for KIHS. It speaks to the intentional work of our staff, the support of our families, and the commitment of our students to engage in challenging, hands-on learning. These programs are helping our students see the connection between what they learn in the classroom and their future careers, and we are fortunate to have a school community that fully supports that work”, said Dan Harding, Principal of KIHS.
PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that creates transformative learning experiences and empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills for future careers.
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, KIHS had to meet multiple criteria in the 2024-25 school year, such as the number of PLTW courses available to students, the percentage of students enrolled in PLTW, and the percentage of students taking more than one PLTW course.
“We are proud to honor Kent Island High School for giving students hands-on, career-connected learning that builds the confidence, knowledge, and skills to navigate their futures,” said Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO. “Their commitment to real-world, project-based learning ensures students experience education that is meaningful and directly connected to what comes next.”
KIHS is part of a national community of PreK-12 schools, higher education institutions, and more than 100 industry partners united in the mission to prepare students for school, work, and life. For more information about PLTW’s Distinguished Program Recognition, visit their Program Recognition webpage (external).
For more information about the PLTW program at KIHS, contact Adam Tolley, Supervisor of Career and Technical Education, Career Counseling, and Workforce Development for QACPS at [email protected].