MOORESTOWN, NJ, 05/27/2008 -- Lockheed Martin and Rancocas Valley Regional High School today announced plans to implement a college engineering program prep curriculum at the school as part of the company's Engineers in the Classroom initiative.

Beginning in the 2009-2010 academic year, Rancocas Valley Regional High School will offer students a curriculum developed by Project Lead the Way, a national, not-for-profit educational program that gives middle and high school students the rigorous ground-level education they need to develop strong backgrounds in science and engineering. The engineering-focused curriculum of Project Lead the Way, which complements math and science college preparatory programs, is the basis of Engineers in the Classroom, Lockheed Martin's innovative K-12 education outreach initiative designed to develop the next generation of engineers.

Lockheed Martin's support to Rancocas Valley also will include ongoing student mentoring by company engineers and $25,000 to support technology upgrades at the school.

In addition to Lockheed Martin's involvement, Drexel University is part of the overall team and will offer support to complement the Project Lead the Way curriculum.

We are in a unique position to combine the efforts of Lockheed Martin and Drexel University and to pass on a wonderful opportunity to our students interested in engineering, said Dr. Michael Moskalski, superintendent of Rancocas Valley Regional High School. We can all benefit from good engineers, if we have students interested in the field. We have to take advantage of this opportunity to cultivate that interest.

We must encourage students to pursue careers in math and science, not only for the future success of our business but for the safety of our nation, said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's business in Moorestown. Rancocas Valley Regional High School is the perfect place for Lockheed Martin to strengthen its relationships with local students given our current programs in that school, including FIRST Robotics and our Minorities in Engineering Program.

Drexel University recently applied for a grant from the National Science Foundation. If awarded the grant, Drexel will assist Rancocas Valley in implementing Project Lead the Way with both financial support and program support, all designed to complement the program.

Project Lead the Way provides a standards-based pre-engineering and technology curriculum to more than 2,200 high schools and middle schools nationwide. Throughout its 12-year history, Project Lead the Way has been extremely successful, with 60 percent of college-bound graduates entering college engineering programs.

Project Lead the Way is part of Lockheed Martin's overall corporate education outreach strategy. In communities near Lockheed Martin's major business locations, the corporation works with schools to incorporate the Project Lead the Way curriculum. Lockheed Martin will supplement the curriculum by supporting hands-on extracurricular activities, which encourage teamwork and supply relevance for the engineering principles learned in the classroom.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.