Turn engineering theory into practice at W.C. Overfelt’s Engineering Academy. We’ll help you bring complex ideas to life while you learn engineering basics and hone the life skills needed for various careers and college degrees within aerospace, computer science and other engineering careers.

We’ve partnered with Project Lead theWay (PLTW) to create an engineering program filled with courses in engineering and electronics that are rigorous, hands-on and reality-based. You’ll get the technical basics as well as numerous opportunities for networking, leadership roles and job shadowing in the tech industry. The Engineering Design Pathway at W.C. Overfelt High School gives you the foundational education, tools and opportunity to solve real-world challenges. Students will have the same core teachers and counselor each year. You will also receive individual counseling.

By the end of the Engineering Academy at Overfelt High School, you’ll be able to:

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• Implement the engineering design process, apply math, science, and engineering standards to simple and complex hands-on projects.
• Design, document and render 3D designs on a 3D printer while considering manufacturing design standards.
• Problem solve, research, and design with design process documentation, collaboration, and presentation
• Work with VEX robotics components to create solutions to stream the manufacturing process
• Work both individually and in teams to design solutions to a variety of problems using 3D modeling software, and use an engineering notebook to document your work
• Investigate and create combinational and sequential logicon a state of the art circuit design simulator used in industry. Incorporate and manipulate logic gates,integrated circuits, and programmable logic devices
• Recognize simple mechanisms and determine their efficiency, analyze the strength of structures and materials, and flowchart and code RobotC software automation
• Generate physical projects from simulated designs using bread boarding and soldering technique
• Solve simple and complex hands-on projects by implementing the engineering design process and engineering standards
• Use 3D modeling software to design solutions to a variety of problems
• Document your work with an engineering notebook
• Design, document and render 3D designs on a 3D printer while considering manufacturing design standards
• Analyze the strength of structures and materials, and flowchart and code RobotC software automation
• Work with VEX robotics components
• Create combinational and sequential logic on a state of the art circuit design simulator
• Incorporate and manipulate logic gates, integrated circuits, and programmable logic devices
• Generate physical projects from simulated designs using bread boarding and soldering techniques

Grow leadership and technical skills as you engage with the professional world. Opportunities at Overfelt include:

• A-G compliant engineering elective courses
• Resume writing and workshops
• Interview coaching
• College Tours
• Fully equipped computer lab
• Professional lifestyle dress

Students who have completed the Engineering Academy have gone on to:

• Earn a college engineering degree
• Become mentors for current academy students
• Employment in high-tech firms

Are there any prerequisites?

Although you won’t need to show any previous engineering knowledge, you will need to be taking college preparatory mathematics and science while enrolled in Overfelt’s Engineering Academy.

Will I get college credit?

Yes, all 4 Courses are a-g certified for University of California.

What types of real-world opportunities do I have outside of the classroom?

• Internships
• Industry mentors
• Job Shadowing
• Industry Speakers
• Industry Field Trips
• Career Fair