Project Lead The Way recognizes outstanding teachers who inspire, engage, and empower their students by creating transformative learning experiences in their classrooms through PLTW programs.
Northshore Christian Academy (NCA) teacher Mrs. Raine Sherwood is one of only 79 teachers across the U.S. to earn the 2021-22 PLTW Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes educators who demonstrate a strong record of delivering an inspiring and empowering student experience, expanding access to Project Lead the Way (PLTW) programs, and transforming teaching.
PLTW is honoring Mrs. Sherwood in her work in the PLTW Launch pathway. Sherwood has been a teacher at NCA for 13 years and specializes in teaches PLTW Engineering classes for students in K-5th Grades.
“Northshore Christian Academy is proud of Raine Sherwood and her dedication to our students and a quality STEM education,” said Superintendent, Jordan Gage “Raine is an inspiring Christian educator who is passionate about community, and we feel absolutely honored to have her as a teacher at NCA.”
Sherwood was instrumental in bringing the PLTW curriculum to NCA for K-5th Grades. From there, she expanded it from a homeroom component into a specialist class to give students more depth in the subject matter. She was also one of the founding coaches for NCA’s award-winning robotics teams.
In 2019, Sherwood won the University of Washington’s “Extra Yard for Teachers” award for excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. She isn’t just a teacher; she is a STEM education leader here in Everett. Her initiatives have played a significant part in making NCA a leading private school that produces passionate students who excel in engineering and tech.
In response to her National PLTW Outstanding Teacher of the Year award, Sherwood says, “I am honored to be a part of our students’ lives at Northshore Christian Academy. The parents and students make NCA a very special place and I consider it a gift from God to be a part of this incredible community. NCA makes it a priority that all students have access to STEM, and my success is a product of their focus in developing this educational avenue.”
PLTW Launch modules engages students in cross-disciplinary activities that spark a lifelong love of learning and build knowledge and skills in areas including computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. In addition, each module empowers students to develop essential skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and perseverance. The K-5 Engineering curriculum uses custom VEX Robotics kits. To learn more about PLTW at NCA, visit our NCA K-5th PLTW Program Engineering webpage.
“Teachers and educational leaders perform one of the most critical functions in our society, and we are proud to work with these outstanding educators who are leaders in their classrooms and across the PLTW network,” said Dr. Vince Bertram, PLTW President and CEO. “Congratulations and thank you for your partnership in a shared commitment to empower our students to thrive in our evolving world even amidst the most challenging and unprecedented of times.”
Sherwood and NCA Alumni, with Kings HS CyberKnights and Glacier Peak HS Sonic Squirrels Robotics Teams
About PLTW
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a mission-driven organization that is transforming the learning experience for millions of PreK-12 students and thousands of teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge, and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. Approximately 12,200 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more on PLTW, visit pltw.org.
