Dimond High School
Engineering
Engineering
The Dimond High School Engineering Academy is designed to prepare students for a 2-year or 4-year engineering degree.
While few prerequisites exist for PLTW classes, the pathways below are encouraged based on math level.
Course Offerings
Seven courses in the Project Lead the Way Pathway to Engineering program are currently offered:
(all courses are year-long)
- PLTW Engineering Essentials
- PLTW Introduction to Engineering Design
- PLTW/AP Computer Science Principles
- PLTW Principles of Engineering
- PLTW Digital Electronics
- PLTW Civil Engineering and Architecture + PLTW Engineering Design and Development
AP Environmental Science is an eighth course in the engineering curriculum.
Graduation Cord Requirements
To earn a silver engineering cord to be worn at graduation, students must:
- Earn a B or higher each semester in 8 semesters of engineering courses, which must include Principles of Engineering
- Be enrolled in 4 years of science courses while at Dimond, including Physics
- Be enrolled in 4 years of math courses while at Dimond, which ideally lead to AP Calculus AP
*The above list briefly describes the minimum requirements. For a more detailed list including specific course pathways, please contact Mrs. Bouton.
College Credit Options
A signed articulation agreement is in place with the University of Alaska, Anchorage to award college credit for students who have completed various coursework combinations. Please see Dimond Engineering Academy faculty for details.
Advisory Board & Sponsors
The Dimond Engineering Academy is guided by an Advisory Board comprised of members from the Anchorage engineering and trade firms as well as the University of Alaska.
The following businesses actively support the academy:
- 3M Corporation
- Alyeska Pipeline
- Army Corps of Engineers
- BP
- CH2M Hill
- Conoco Phillips
- Doyon Drilling
- Enterprise Engineering
- GCI
- Halliburton
- HDR Alaska
- Loren Leman, P.E.
- RSA Engineering
- Siemens Building Technologies
- Stantec
- University of Alaska Anchorage
Engineering Academy History
The Dimond High School Engineering Academy opened in the Fall of 2008 with four courses in the Project Lead the Way curriculum. Teachers Lea Bouton, Scott Campbell, Wade Roach, and Catherine Walker offer a full range of engineering outreach and mentorship opportunities. In addition to the course offerings during the school day, Dimond hosts teams for FIRST Robotics – both FTC and FRC programs are available after school to all students.
A recent report (found here: https://www.pltw.org/news/project-lead-the-way-releases-new-research-around-skills-graduates-need-most-for-labor-market-success) discusses the need for transferrable skills that are explicitly taught through all PLTW classes, including problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and ethical reasoning and mindset. These skills are among the most demanded and most valued in the job market.