High School Program Offers Students A Chance To Shape Their Future

By: Dennis Burke Email

Updated: Mon 11:11 AM, Mar 21, 2011

Joana Torres is a senior at Southwest Lincoln High School. In a couple of months, she'll be the first in her family to graduate from highschool. And thanks to a Lincoln public schools program called "Project Lead the Way", she'll be going all the way to the University of Nebraska to study engineering next fall.

The program offers classes to students with a greater emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math. All areas of need in the current and future job market.

"I think a lot of students exposed to all the different options they have at Southwest highschool, and all the other highschools in the district, really get into a good picture of what it looks like outside of these walls when they graduate. So, we want them to be college and career ready," says Eric Knoll, the Assistant Curriculum Specialist at Lincoln Public Schools.

It's a program that meant a lot to Joana Torres.

"I want it to be a career. I mean, this would probably make a career that I really like, that I really want to do in my life."

As Joana breaks new barriers, she's leading the way for her family. And she used "Project Lead the Way" to help direct her journey.

"When I was a freshman, I'm like, you know, hopefully I'm going to graduate. I'm going to be a model for my sister, my brothers. So, it's coming true," says Torres.

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