PLTW Summit 2018-19: Four Unforgettable Experiences

Excitement filled the air as guests eagerly hustled from one workshop to the next, stopping in the conference halls to catch up with old and new friends, strike a pose at the photo booths, and grab a coffee or one of the highly sought-after gourmet desserts for an afternoon energy boost.

Inside each workshop room, guests shared best practices, learned by doing, and earned continuing education units, all the while filling up their PLTW notebooks with practical tips and insights they could take back to their classrooms. During some workshops, guests even spilled out into the hallways – the meeting rooms unable to contain the hands-on, engaging experiences within their four walls.

In the Engage Showcase, guests immersed themselves in virtual reality, discovered the joy of playing with robots, explored digitally restored human anatomy, met with PLTW students who are making a difference in their communities, and more.

The energy was contagious, starting at breakfast each morning all the way through the CEO reception on day two and the final day’s keynote speech by Dr. Romie Mushtaq, who empowered guests to bring mindfulness into their classrooms and “choose calm.”

Perhaps the most inspiring moments, however, were those centered around students. Student presentations, combined with the off-site school visits, helped guests see firsthand how PLTW impacts millions of students across the country.

For three days, thousands of guests experienced PLTW through interactive workshops, general sessions, networking opportunities, and more. Each PLTW Summit offered guests this same high-quality experience, but with a local flair that made them uniquely their own – from the Wild West in San Antonio and roarin’ ’20s in Kansas City to beach day in Anaheim and night at the museum in Indianapolis.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2018-19 PLTW Summit experiences – sponsored by Chevron – and mark your calendars for another year of unparalleled professional development!

Professional Development

The four 2018-19 PLTW Summit experiences offered a total of 768 workshop sessions, during which guests completed 1,056 CEU-eligible hours. Workshop sessions covered everything from best practices for implementing PLTW to how to create a hologram.

Additionally, 107 teachers earned their PLTW Launch Classroom Teacher credential and another 48 became PLTW Launch Lead Teachers. Dozens more received Update Training for PLTW Gateway's App Creators and new Medical Detectives unit.

Opportunities to Connect

Networking opportunities offered PLTW Summit guests meaningful ways to connect with others who are passionate about providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning experiences.

"Being able to network with other teachers, from PLTW Launch all the way through high school, and get different ideas and see how to expand our curriculum – how to do after-school programming, how to challenge our kids, maybe how to do one of the PLTW lessons just a little bit different – is really incredible," said Eryca Card, PLTW PreK-8 coordinator, sixth grade science teacher, and PLTW Educational Leader of the Year. "To have so many people across the entire nation that you can reach out to, I think that's invaluable."

Celebrating Student Achievement

Guests heard from 47 student speakers, who shared how PLTW has transformed their lives, opened the door to career opportunities, and changed their perspectives on life and learning.

For many guests, this is their favorite part of the PLTW Summit experience. Why? "Because that's why we do what we do. It's all for them," one guest said.