Engineering Pathway

Do you like to tinker, tear things apart, and find out what makes them tick? Do you excel in math, science, and technology?

Inspire Is Transforming the High School Experience.

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About Engineering Pathway

Does a well-paid career in a high demand area interest you? Inspire invites you to invest in your future and accept the challenge presented by our four-year engineering program using the internationally acclaimed Project Lead the Way™ curriculum. Learn design principles and 3D solid modeling software, solve problems in applied sciences, build and program robots, and actually use your math skills in hands-on, technologically rich classes and projects. Whether you are interested in a career in STEM or just want to be engaged and challenged in school, join us in Engineering at Inspire.

Advisor

Hannah Metzger
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Pathway Profile

  • Engineering Essentials
  • Principles of Engineering
  • STEM Capstone

A Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway is a series of classes within a subject area designed to provide high school students with the skills and knowledge to be successful in college and careers in their chosen field. 

Students who take CTE courses learn hands-on skills, explore careers, and gain experiences that will help pave the way for life beyond high school. Studies have shown that CTE participation is linked to better high school graduation rates, increased likelihood of enrollment in college, and higher pay. 

Students can take introductory CTE courses at Inspire to explore their interests and discover what they might like to pursue in life. Or, if they already have a passion for their subject area, students can take advanced courses in their pathway, learn from teachers and mentors who inspire them, and do what they love to do in classes with peers who share their interests.

To be a CTE Completer, students must take each of the two or three courses offered within a CTE Pathway in sequence (this does not include the Capstone course). Inspire students will earn a pin for every pathway completed to wear at graduation. 

Why should students complete a CTE Pathway? Inspire graduates share that their CTE classes gave them real-world opportunities that helped them succeed in college and careers beyond

high school. CTE programs help students gain industry connections and envision their futures in their chosen field. Even students who have not gone on to pursue their CTE pathways say that the skills they learned helped them become creative, connected, critical thinkers in other areas.

Engineering Technology

  • Engineering Essentials
  • Principles of Engineering
  • STEM Capstone

To be an Inspire Capstone Student, students must take each of the two or three courses offered within a CTE Pathway in sequence, plus the Inspire Capstone course. Inspire Capstone Students will earn a cord to wear at graduation acknowledging their efforts and excellence. 

Why should students choose to pursue an Inspire Capstone? Capstone courses encourage students to be self-directed learners, researching and developing projects that demonstrate their advanced knowledge and skills in their discipline. Capstone Students have the opportunity to lead and teach others within their program, and learn how to give back to their communities. Students often work independently, under the direction of excellent teachers who know and trust what they can do (and understand what support they might need).

What Our Students Have To Say...

Heather Hardie

Class of 2020
Inspire School of Arts and Sciences is by far the best high school in Butte County. I have spent the past for years commuting 60 miles a day in order to get the best education available to me. One of my favorite aspects of Inspire is the opportunity to take so many classes. Inspire gave me the opportunity to take nine classes whereas an average high school would have only allowed me to take six. With those opportunities I got to take four years of Spanish, Orchestra, and Ceramics, all elective classes that I wouldn’t have gotten to take at the high schools in Oroville. With these opportunities I was able to find my passion for the arts and still follow my passion for science. Inspire is the best school that I would have wanted to go to, and going there has been amazing. Another way that Inspire helped prepare me for continuing my education and pursuing my passion was with the amazing teachers and staff there. I have never had such wonderful teachers in my life, teachers who care deeply about their students and teaching them.
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Jamison Winternitz

Class of 2019
This school teaches life skills, work ethic, and provides a constructive/supportive community you cannot get at any other school.
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Josiah Robinson

Class of 2013
One teacher who made a positive impact in my life was Rachel Lufer who taught multiple science courses at Inspire. I had her for Human Anatomy where she passed down to me a passion for studying the human body which I have carried on and will continue to do so in my future profession as a physical therapist.  My favorite aspect about Inspire was the close-knit community that transcended class levels and interests. It was  a rare experience where friendships weren’t limited by cliques or seniority; the school productions and activities helped promote a unified school where everyone could feel welcome.  I strongly believe that Inspire helped me prepare for life after high school. The blocked class scheduling and a variety of electives made the transition into college very smooth for me. As well, after experiencing what rich community feels like at Inspire, I was motivated to seek the same type of community in college, which has significantly increased my enjoyment of higher education. Currently, I am 6 months away from receiving my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Washington in Seattle. I got married in 2017 and my wife and I have spent the last two years adventuring up in Seattle as I work through grad school. I have loved the field of physical therapy as I get to incorporate my passion for human anatomy as well as utilize my creativity to come up with unique treatment options for patients of all stages of life. Following Inspire, I have been able keep up with my love of acting and participate in multiple community theatre performances, local as well as internet commercials, and a professional quality short film. I have had to put acting to the side as I focus on finishing my degree but I can’t wait to pick it up again when I’m done!
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Kylie Dennhardt

Class of 2020
I took anatomy my junior year with Mrs. Olson, and she really showed me how much I can love the medical career. Anatomy was my favorite class I have ever taken and I realized how this is something I want to continue for the rest of my life. I also feel so thankful that I went to inspire, because I feel very prepared for my future education. The staff was always so supporting and was always willing to help me if I reached out. They taught me how important it was to apply myself and stay organized. I feel like Inspire has granted me so many opportunities that I would not have gotten outside of school. The counselors have helped me stay on track and take the classes I need for my education. Advisory has given me so much knowledge and I am so thankful I was able to get that experience. I was able to have a safe space to express my concerns or worries, and they were always addressed quickly. Mrs. Alexich and Ms. Smith were so helpful and informative with giving advice and keeping me on the right track.
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Lauryn Reid

Class of 2019
When I first transferred to Inspire from Chico High, I was worried that I wasn’t going to fit in. I didn’t have a particularly deep interest in the things that Inspire is known for, like theater, art, or science. By the end of my first year, I knew I belonged at Inspire. Having a strong community and safe environment allowed me to grow into someone I didn’t know I was capable of being. I am so grateful for the close relationships I have formed with the staff, and the wisdom they have shared with me throughout my three years there. Just because you might not think of yourself as a cookie-cutter “Inspire student” doesn’t mean that this isn’t the place for you. The school taught me how to be an engaged citizen, a leader, an advocate for myself and others, and most importantly it taught me that it’s okay to be myself. As young adults, there is a lot of pressure to know things already. Inspire allows you to explore your interests and yourself in an uplifting community. I am now studying Sociology and continuously using my academic and nonacademic education from Inspire to learn about myself and where I fit into the world.
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Luciano Castaldo

Class of 2020
Every teacher and staff member at Inspire has made a positive impact in my life! I find myself viewing my teachers and staff more as a family and friends than as superiors, and that’s one thing I really love about our school’s community.  My favorite part of Inspire is the passion and love that our teachers have for their classes! It is very clear that each staff member is excited to be teaching and loves what they’re doing, and that makes learning much more engaging and exciting for us students! I also appreciate the passion that our teachers have for us as students to learn! Almost every teacher can be found after hours after classes have been dismissed to help students one on one so they can truly understand the material. They don’t stress over you getting a perfect test score each unit… they stress that we try our hardest and put in an effort to learn! And when we do so, it’s clear that it makes them happy!  Inspire has prepared me not just for life after high school-- but for life in general. Inspire is preparing me for the now. I find that the family and community structure that Inspire is built off of helps remind me how I can be making a positive impact in other people’s lives who don’t share the same experience that I get to experience here at Inspire. 
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Mrinalini (Jhumpa) Banerjee-Stevens

2023
"As this academic year draws to a close, I'm reminded of how much Inspire allowed me to strengthen my leadership skills. I'm immensely grateful for the opportunities provided for me during my senior year at Inspire, as I feel they served as a springboard for success during my first year at UC Davis.
I remain humbled by the confidence that Mrs. Brown and Ms. Hawkins placed in me to serve as Senior Class President. I couldn't have planned monthly fundraising drives or executed events like our senior trip and prom without their continued support and mentorship. Through my work with ASB and Environmental Club, I was able to develop project management and team-building skills that have gone on to bolster my extracurricular work at UC Davis.
Despite going from being a 'big fish' to a 'small fish' very suddenly, I've maintained the momentum from my senior year. I currently serve as a member of the Reproductive Health Committee at Joan Viteri Memorial Clinic-- a student-run free clinic serving members of the unhoused community of Sacramento-- and I hold a position as a student intern in an ecology laboratory. Above everything, I credit the experience and education I received at Inspire for giving me the confidence to 'take the bull by the horns' this year."
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Neo Campagna

Class of 2019
Every single teacher made an impact on me, but particularly, DLT, my advisor, and Mr. White. DLT was the mom of our advisory and she loved us and listened. She helped us through the hardest times. Mr. White, however, is the reason I attended Inspire. Mr. White has given me the career path that I didn’t think was accessible or possible. With Inspire’s studio and professional mixing software licenses, we learned everything from a professional who was in the field for more than 20 years. And now, thanks to him, I have a career doing what I love most-- I am a mixing engineer/producer/DJ. Inspire is a safe haven for anyone that was gonna be considered “weird” at other places. It makes you feel at home and trustworthy always. My favorite part was always the studio, professionally treated and with fully unlocked pro tools-- it was amazing!
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