Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute is pleased to announce that it has been selected as an Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) school - a partnership between Amazon and Project STEM to improve access to computer science education in communities currently underrepresented in the technology field.

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, by 2020 there will be 1.4 million computer science related jobs available and only 400,000 computer science graduates with the skills to apply for those jobs. Many students eager to fill that gap and obtain a high paying job in technology do not have access to computer science in their middle and high schools. Often schools want to offer these courses to their students but do not have access to curriculum and/or teacher support materials.

Amazon and Project STEM are partnering to address this gap by sponsoring teachers and administrators who demonstrate this need and are committed to bringing computer science to their school with access to content such as: CS Explorations 1: Fundamentals in Scratch, CS Python Fundamentals, AP Computer Science Principles, or AP Computer Science A courses. This content also includes fully sequenced and paced digital curriculum for students, and professional development for educators new to learning or teaching computer science. Interested schools can learn more at  www.amazonfutureengineer.com , including how students can access college scholarships and internships at Amazon.

GPCI will implement the program with all 6th graders as part of their Gateway course. Instructor Nick Brown says Project STEM is a hands-on, intentional tool for teaching block-based coding. Mr. Brown is excited to see the growth and enthusiasm of his students. 

Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute Receives National Recognition for Commitment to Empowering Students
Named a distinguished school for STEM and career learning program

GPCI has been recognized as a 2020-21 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is one of just 204 high schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW [Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Engineering]. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in over 12,200 schools across the U.S. 

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, [School] had to meet the following criteria in the 2019-20 school year: 

• Had 95 percent of students take the End-of-Course (EoC) Assessments; 
• Had 25 percent of students or more participate in PLTW courses, or of those who participated in PLTW, at least 33 percent took two or more PLTW courses;  
• Offer and had students enrolled in at least three PLTW courses;  

• Had strategies and procedures in place that support reasonably proportional representation with regard to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender and can support such claims with relevant data. 

“It is a great honor to recognize [School] for their unwavering commitment to provide students with an excellent educational experience despite the unusual circumstances and unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented to the educational landscape this past year,” said Dr. Vince Bertram, President and CEO of PLTW. “They should be very proud of their achievements in unlocking their students’ potential and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom no matter what career path they choose.”

GPCI is part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition.  

GPCI 21-22 Calendar

Quick Start to Code Guide

Please find the GPCI bell schedule in the link below:

GPCI Bell Schedule

Please see the GPCI Dress Standards in the links below:

GPCI Dress Standards