Col. Zadok Magruder and Wheaton high schools are among 11 in Maryland that will be implementing pre-engineering programs, thanks to grants from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

MSDE will award nine local school systems a total of more than $200,000 in Tech Prep Education grants through federal Title II for the pre-engineering programs. Schools will use Project Lead The Way, a nationally recognized model that partners high schools with colleges, universities and business partners, to increase the quantity and quality of engineers graduating from two- and four-year colleges.

The model combines rigorous academic and advanced technical coursework. Students in the program will enroll in challenging courses such as Principles of Engineering, Introduction to Engineering Design, Digital Electronics, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, and Engineering Design and Development, in addition to their required high school coursework.