Why Engineering?

Benefits of the Engineering Pathway:

Engineering is about problem-solving and engineers like to often times help people in diverse ways solve problems to make tasks easier, more environmentally friendly, simpler, design cooler technology, etc.

Engineers like to work with their hands and the CVHS Engineering pathway is about not only project-based learning and hands-on projects, but learning technology like Autodesk Inventor and Revit, 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC Mills, basic tools, the design process and learning to collaborate in a diverse amount of team projects. Our pathway is a four year pathway which at the end of 4 years, students have opportunities for the following:

Certification in Autodesk programs
familiarity with 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC milling
Field trips & Guest Speakers nearby to get a hands-on feel for what engineers and manufacturers do/provide in the workplace!
Summer internships and ACE mentorship in their junior year
Graduation stoles to be worn at graduation after completing the 4th year of the Engineering Pathway
Opportunities to participate in diverse clubs and competitions
A robust resume to use for college and job applications
A cohort of students and teachers that is basically like family by the end of high school.

Let's now here some student responses and advice for how engineering pathway has benefitted them.

Hilary Lui

"Work hard and play hard. But seriously, don't stop working!"

Ethan Ngo

"It helped me feel something new. engineering is unique because it can inspire creativity. Find a group that you can work well with so that things can get done faster and more efficiently."

Sydney Kundert

"The engineering pathway is all that you make it, so take advantage of all the resources and opportunities that are provided to you. And to all my ladies out there -- There will be a lot of times that you will think the boys are stupid, and you're probably right. But it's okay, just know in your mind that you are smarter and can do everything just as good as they can."

Isabel Walth

"Don't bs your work. If you're genuinely interested in engineering or another related career the programs, physics, and engineering concepts you learn in PLTW will help you later on. Plus the teachers are always willing to help."

JJ Pereur

"Do stupid stuff, and figure out why things don't work. Why things work doesn't matter if you can't understand what doesn't work. "

Banoo Afkhami

"Don't get so obsessive over all your notes and sketches being perfect. Just accept that your notebook is going to be messy, and that it's just part of the engineering design process. And don't be afraid to bring up "stupid ideas," because even though it may be dumb at first I promise you that you can pull something from it. Some of my best designs came from something that I initially thought had no way of ever working. Creativity is messy, and that's what makes it beautiful.
Oh, and to my female and genderqueer peers: Don't be afraid to speak up. Engineering only feels like a "boy thing" because their voices are the loudest. So keep your head held high and let your voice be heard. I promise you it will feel easier over time, and confidence is contagious. Uplift yourself, and by doing that you will help uplift us all and forge a better future."

"Work hard and push past your boundaries. Have faith in yourself and you never know how far you will go. Take advantage of the resources that this path has to offer you. You can create some amazing things. " - Savannah Hui

Christian Bonardi

"I say this pathway has definitely paved my life into really dreaming on bigger engineering projects I can develop. This pathway let us build leadership and unique connections with our classmates and I'd consider most of the people in this class people I will never forget because of this class. "

Adam Wu

"One piece of advice I have for other students at CVHS taking the Engineering Pathway is to not give up if you want to do engineering because this class really helps you with all the engineering process. And yes, sometimes its boring but this is how engineering can be sometimes especially when there is a bunch of concepts."

Aiden Kelly & Alex Cheng

"It is a really fun pathway that really teaches you a lot and helps you find close friends. If you are struggling to stick with or think you don't want to continue, I urge you reconsider and think about all the amazing outcomes from it."

"Engineering is the best pathway." - Justin Seto

"Building anything is hard. Making it work is another thing entirely. Use duct tape if something moves and it's not supposed to. Use WD-40 if it needs to move. " - Derek Huie

"ALWAYS do the calculations first, even if you think they're not needed, (because trust me they are) it will prevent fires sometimes. :)" - Christiana Kathain

"Engineering is an amazing thing to take part of. Before this class I've always been interested in making but these four years have really taught me how much I love creating. Without this pathway I would have never had access to the tools to create and the people to inspire. I'm so thankful I was able to be apart of this." - Keegan Baker

"Stop procrastinating or you'll live to regret it." - Cesar Sahagun

"To stick with it and putting in all the effort will 100% payoff. " - Christian Bonardi

"Stick with it man, if you like engineering there's nothing more rewarding than creating something from scratch for a year to end it off!" - Riley Clark

"I would tell them to focus on working as a group. In the beginning for me I was used to regular classes which was a lot more focus on individual work. This is not the case in the PLTW pathway with each and every day focusing on group work. " - Aadarsh Marahatta

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