NORWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Preparing Norwin Students for
Norwin Students Dive Into Data at First Annual‘ Data Derby’
NORWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Preparing Norwin Students for
Norwin School District is committed to preparing students for success in high-demand fields through career pathways that integrate academics, industry-recognized credentials, and strong community partnerships. These efforts ensure that every Norwin graduate is well-equipped for both college and career opportunities.
As Norwin’ s Workforce Development Coordinator, Laura Swick is leading the initiative to expand career-connected learning for students. Under her leadership, the District is focused on enhancing career exploration, fostering professional skill development, and connecting students to real-world experiences. This includes bringing professionals into classrooms to help students make meaningful connections between their coursework and career aspirations; facilitating job shadowing, internships, and exploration activities that bridge learning with real-world applications; embedding communication, collaboration, and problemsolving skills into daily instruction; and expanding access to certifications that align with Norwin’ s career pathways, giving students a competitive edge in both the workforce and college admissions.
Norwin is looking to form partnerships within our community. As students investigate possible career options, it is important to gain experience in a real-world setting. Job Shadowing and Internships offer students a valuable chance to experience firsthand what a career in their chosen field truly entails. If you are interested in hosting a student, or would be willing to be a guest speaker in the classroom to discuss careers in your field, please complete the Workforce Development Partnership form using the QR Code at left.
FutureSuccess
Recent highlights of this growing focus on workforce readiness:
• PA CareerLink Partnership: Seniors receive support with resumes, job searches, applications, and mock interviews to prepare for post-graduation careers.
• Guest Speakers: Students gain career insights from the Westmoreland County DA’ s Office, Independence Health, PA CareerLink, and alumni in healthcare professions.
• Virtual Career Explorations: Students attend career informational sessions without leaving school, including PA Virtual Career Day when the Future Health Professionals Club members explored high-demand career fields.
• Career Exploration Opportunities: Students participate in a variety of career-focused experiences, including Discovery Days with workplace visits and sponsored events, Introduce a Girl to Engineering activities through the Girls Who Code Club at Westinghouse Waltz Mill, and Healthcare Career Fairs, with underclassmen attending the UPMC Pathways for Students Career Fair and upperclassmen exploring the Southwestern PA Healthcare Expo to engage with professionals, college programs, and hands-on learning.
• Leadership Opportunities: Student Council and Class Presidents participated in the Future Ready Leaders Program, developing leadership skills and planning collegeand career-readiness projects.
These initiatives reflect Norwin’ s vision of“ Pathways with a Purpose”— aligning academic programs with local workforce priorities and empowering students to graduate with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive as responsible, innovative, and engaged citizens. orwin
NORWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Norwin Students Dive Into Data at First Annual‘ Data Derby’
Fourteen of our high school students recently participated in the inaugural“ Data Derby” on November 13 at St. Vincent College. The competition challenged students to analyze a real-world dataset of 120,000 lines from the Four Mile Run watershed in Westmoreland County. Teams interpreted the data to provide actionable insights for a targeted audience, performed statistical analyses, and presented their findings to a panel of industry judges.
In addition to the competition, students attended seminars at the Fred Rogers Center on economics, business, and the sciences, exploring how data analytics drives decision-making in these fields. They also had the opportunity to connect with college students and local business leaders, gaining valuable exposure to professional networks.
Norwin’ s teams competed alongside 15 other high school teams from Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Cambria counties. While they didn’ t place in the top three, students walked away with practical experience and essential skills in the rapidly growing field of data science and analytics.
From L to R: Ashton Hardy, Roman Ola, Jace Pirillo, Riley Miller, Ava Passarelli, Bella Capozzoli, Catalina Garzon, Sofie Gray, Kaitlyn Tudor, Julia Choby, Lilly Chaney, Saige Hockman, Kendall Stoughton, and Preston Montag
NORWIN | WINTER 2025 23