Leadership, Engineering, Arts & Design (LEAD

Courses in the LEAD Department are designed to inspire students with the courage to dream and the grit to work through failure. Students learn to design and build everything from art to companies with purpose and passion. Classes use technical learning of art, design, technology, and engineering to foster student creativity across the curricula. Students are encouraged to be unrelenting problem solvers. There is an intentional focus on both technical skills and power skills that include collaboration proficiencies, critical thinking, perseverance, communication and social skills, teamwork, self-management.

Engineering and Entrepreneurship I

In the first semester of Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2), students immerse themselves in computer science, coding, and electrical engineering. Students learn foundational concepts including understanding a circuit and computing systems and extends to learning to program the Arduino microcontroller to work with a variety of sensor input and digital output. The first semester provides students with the basic tools and skills necessary to design and build the product prototypes that they will conceive and develop in the third and fourth semester of the course.

Engineering and Entrepreneurship II

In the second semester of Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2), students develop and demonstrate conventional fabrication skills using cardboard, wood, and acrylic and digital fabrication skills using computer-aided design (CAD), 3D printing and laser cutting. Concurrently, students develop collaboration and design-thinking skills through multiple team-design challenges and discussions. The second semester provides students with the basic tools and skills necessary to design and build the product prototypes that they will conceive and develop in the third and fourth semester of the course.

Engineering and Entrepreneurship III

In the third semester of Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2), students learn and use the Design Thinking methodology to identify problems and subsequently generate solutions to those problems using the electronics, coding and fabrication skills they developed in the previous semesters. After ideating solutions, students do a ‘deep dive’ researching the viability of their idea as well as understanding the market for their solutions. Student teams end the first semester by presenting their ideas and findings to the entire class. In the fourth semester, students form virtual companies consisting of three- or four-member teams. Each team develops a product that employs multiple technologies, techniques, and tools to address social challenges in the world. Their semester-end team deliverables include: a product prototype (fabricated using the technological and mechanical tools in our MakerSpaces), appropriate product branding and logos, a business plan and a team investor’s presentation (pitch deck). Three or four times during the semester, companies formally present their investor pitch-decks to the class and panels of mock venture capitalists (mVC).

Engineering and Entrepreneurship IV

In the fifth semester of Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2), students learn about the Lean Startup/Lean Canvas business modeling. Additionally, students learn “power skills” including public speaking, ppt skills and learn and use the Design Thinking methodology to identify problems and subsequently generate solutions to those problems using the electronics, coding and fabrication skills they developed in the previous semesters. In the sixth semester, students form virtual companies consisting of three- or four-member teams. Each team develops a product that employs multiple technologies, techniques, and tools to address social challenges in the world. Their semester-end team deliverables include: a product prototype (fabricated using the technological and mechanical tools in our MakerSpaces), appropriate product branding and logos, a business plan and a team investor’s presentation (pitch deck). Three or four times during the semester, companies formally present their investor pitch-decks to the class and panels of mock venture capitalists (mVCs). Prerequisites: Engineering and Entrepreneurship I-III and instructor’s recommendation.

Engineering and Entrepreneurship V

In the final semester of Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2), student teams dedicate their final semester to simultaneously working on two major projects. The first involves identifying a school need that they can address through design and fabrication and executing a technology-development marathon, where E2 student teams work together with people with physical disabilities to develop solutions for their everyday challenges. Prototypes developed at the event will address each individual’s need, and the designs are published online to provide solutions to others with the same challenges.

Drawing and Painting I (Fall Semester, Grades 9-12)

An introductory level course for beginning students to gain a grasp of the elements of art and principles of design and put them into practice using two-dimensional materials. Students will learn drawing and shading techniques, depth, proportion, perspective, and more as they gain foundational skills for their artistic exploration. Students will work through projects, skill and tool development, and become familiar with critique practices as they learn to write and talk about their work in a classroom setting.

Drawing and Painting II (Spring Semester, Grades 9-11)

A continuation of Drawing and Painting I, students will continue exploring the properties and techniques found in 2D media. They will learn painting and blending skills, draw with varied techniques, and develop a personal style. Students will apply their knowledge of elements and principles through projects, skill lessons, and artist study. Students will continue their feedback and critique practices with statements and presentations about their work.

3D Design (Fall Semester, Grades 10-12)

Students will focus on creating with three dimensional materials. They will take ideas from sketches to sculptural projects using traditional and non-traditional materials. Students will explore artists and their techniques, safe tool use and skills, and the develop-

ment of dimension and depth in their work. Students will continue their study and application of the elements and principles of design through their projects and assignments, as well as a continued practice of critique and presentation. Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting I and II.

Advanced Art (Spring Semester, Grades 10-12)

Students will focus on combining two and three-dimensional media, creating artwork with a message, and exploring new techniques. Students will continue developing a personal style and will have opportunities for self-directed projects within this studio course. Students will also continue to develop skills in talking about and critiquing artwork as they present their own art and study works by artists throughout art history. Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting I, Drawing and Painting II, and 3D Design.

Senior Studio (Fall Semester, Grade 12)

The culmination of studio art study at Leffell, students in this course will get to develop an interest or creative concept over the course of the semester. Students will assemble a body of work with an overarching theme or technique, and present their finished portfolio in a final exhibition at the course’s end. Coursework will include artist statements and development journals, sketches, and research on themes, techniques, or inspiration as each student puts together a composed work that speaks to their voice as an artist.

Computer Science I

This course will introduce students to the basic principles of computer science using the Java programming language. We will explore the basic foundations and fundamentals of programming to solve problems and create tools. Students will learn to create efficient and effective programs through a series of in-class labs and projects. This course (or equivalent experience) is required to take Computer Science II.

Computer Science II

This course expands on the fundamentals of computing that were introduced in Computer Science I. Students will study the data structures and algorithms that make their everyday life possible, as well as a new focus on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). Prerequisites: Computer Science I or instructor’s permission.

Computer Science III

This course will continue to build on the foundation of the previous classes. Students will cover advanced topics that open new paths for their projects. The class will learn more about how Java functions as a language through the use of interfaces, abstract classes, associations, generics, and collections. Prerequisite: Computer Science II or instructor’s permission.

Computer Science IV

This course places students in an environment to explore a selection of advanced topics in computer science. The class will work with exceptions, multithreading, and databases. There will also be a focus on reading documentation to solve more advanced problems. Prerequisite: Computer Science III or instructor’s permission.