For the fifth consecutive year, Project Lead The Way (PLTW) has recognized all four of Fort Zumwalt’s comprehensive high schools as Distinguished High Schools.
Project Lead the Way is a national curriculum in place at all Fort Zumwalt high schools that offers students hands-on learning in biomedical science, engineering and computer science. Participating students have the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. PLTW recognizes Distinguished Schools for their commitment to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. In all, 2,020 Fort Zumwalt high school students were enrolled in at least one PLTW class during the 2024-2025 school year, roughly one third of the students at the district’s four comprehensive high schools.
Among them were members of the Class of 2025 from East and North high schools who participated for the third consecutive year in the STEM STL PLTW Showcase. Each spring the showcase is an opportunity for students to present their capstone projects, as well as an online scholarship competition. The following students were recognized at the 2025 showcase:
Madelyn Carrell, North High Biomed, won the Best Overall Biomedical Science Award for her shoulder rehabilitation device.
Gregory Hauser, Chase Ostmann, and Nathaniel Provost, North High Engineering, won the Prototype Pro Award for their improved design of a shopping cart.
Ryann Kruse from North High Biomed won the STEMinist Award for her work investigating sleep disturbances for breast cancer patients undergoing tamoxifen treatment.
Katelyn Lindemann, Gaberiel Ostrander, Cameron Parker, Jackson Parkes, and Keegan Thornton, East High Engineering, won the Logic Mastermind Award for their system to properly dispose of space "junk".
Mariah Lewis, North High Biomed, won the Saint Louis Science Center's Communicator Award for her DIY guide to safe and effective at-home insulin production.
