Slauson Middle School PLTW teacher and Athletic Director Kim Jaster was raised in Trenton, Michigan, and began her professional career immediately after high school with Electronic Data Systems/General Motors. After 13 years in the business sector, she returned to school to earn her education degree while staying home with her twin daughters. Drawn to a career rooted in meaning and service, Jaster found teaching to be a perfect fit—and one she can’t imagine leaving.
Education clearly runs in her family: one daughter is a social worker at Brighton High School, and the other is currently a kindergarten teacher in South Carolina.
Slauson Middle School Principal Brandon Szwejkowski says that as a PLTW teacher, Jaster has consistently delivered engaging, hands-on learning experiences across seven Project Lead the Way courses.
“Her instructional expertise has earned her multiple PLTW Most Distinguished Awards, recognizing her excellence in curriculum development and student achievement,” said Szwejkowski. “In addition to her work in the classroom, she has taken on critical leadership responsibilities, including serving as Principal Lead backup during administrative absences. Her ability to manage school operations seamlessly and make informed decisions reflects her strong leadership skills and dedication to the school community.”
What initially inspired you to become involved with Project Lead The Way (PLTW), and how has teaching PLTW units shaped your approach to middle school education over the years?
Math and science have always been my favorite subjects, which led me to earn my middle school endorsements in both areas. In 2013, while attending the Detroit Grand Prix, I was introduced to Project Lead The Way representatives, and I was immediately drawn to how PLTW integrates math and science through hands-on, real-world problem solving. I remember thinking how exciting it would be to teach content in a way that allowed students to actively design, build, test, and think like engineers and scientists.
When I attended my first PLTW training in the summer of 2013, I was hooked. I began teaching PLTW units at a charter school in Canton and later had the opportunity to join the PLTW team in Ann Arbor full-time—an opportunity for which I’m especially grateful to Tom Pachera.
Teaching PLTW has fundamentally shaped my approach to middle school education. It reinforced the importance of student-centered learning, collaboration, and perseverance through trial and error. Over the years, PLTW has helped me create a classroom where curiosity drives learning, mistakes are part of the process, and students build confidence by tackling authentic challenges. It has strengthened my belief that middle school students thrive when they are engaged, empowered, and given meaningful opportunities to connect learning to the real world
As both a PLTW teacher and Athletic Director, how do you see connections between the hands-on, problem-solving skills students gain in PLTW projects, such as design challenges or robotics, and the teamwork, perseverance, and leadership they develop as athletes?
I honestly never fully recognized the direct connection between athletics and PLTW until reflecting on this question, but once I did, the overlap became very clear. There is a strong correlation between the skills students use during PLTW projects—collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, and perseverance—and the skills they develop as athletes.
In PLTW classrooms, students work through design challenges and hands-on projects that require communication, adaptability, and resilience when things don’t work the first time. Those same skills are essential in athletics, where students must work as a team, respond to setbacks, and stay committed to a shared goal. The kinesthetic nature of PLTW also mirrors athletics, engaging students who learn best by doing rather than just listening or writing.
One of the most powerful connections is confidence. There are students who may struggle to feel successful in more traditional academic settings but truly thrive in hands-on, project-based environments like PLTW—or on the athletic field. Both spaces give students the opportunity to discover their strengths, build self-confidence, and realize their capacity for success. As both a PLTW teacher and Athletic Director, I see how these experiences complement each other and help develop well-rounded students who are confident, resilient, and ready to take on challenges.
Can you share a favorite memory or success story from a PLTW class where a student overcame a challenge in a project—perhaps in engineering, computer science, or biomedical science—and how that moment reflected the kind of growth you aim to foster?
I have had multiple students with behavior issues in my classroom, and in the end, they walk out feeling successful. It’s all about building a relationship with students, understanding the baggage they bring, and showing them they are worthy!
Balancing teaching a rigorous STEM curriculum with leading the school’s athletic programs must be demanding. What strategies have helped you manage both roles effectively while still making time for students in and out of the classroom? Good time management is essential. But I believe that a passion and a true love for what I do give me the energy to keep up with both jobs!
What advice would you give to other middle school teachers who are considering implementing PLTW in their classrooms?
What I tell fellow teachers whom I teach in PLTW training and other teachers is that I teach the best subjects ever: I’m living a dream job. It’s so engaging and fun to teach, I hope I can teach it for the rest of my career!
In what ways do you think the real-world, project-based learning in PLTW prepares Slauson Middle School students for future careers—whether in STEM fields, sports, or other paths—and how do you see that playing out with your current students?
Teaching PLTW has fundamentally shaped my approach to middle school education. It reinforced the importance of student-centered learning, collaboration, and perseverance through trial and error. Over the years, PLTW has helped me create a classroom where curiosity drives learning, mistakes are part of the process, and students build confidence by tackling authentic challenges. It has strengthened my belief that middle school students thrive when they are engaged, empowered, and given meaningful opportunities to connect learning to the real world.
What can you say about the new PLTW class starting next year called “Building for the Future Classroom”?
Yes, Slauson PLTW will be piloting this class. Here’s the description: This new unit explores everything from architecture and civil engineering to carpentry, plumbing, and HVAC systems. Students in Building for the Future (BFF) will explore the world of construction by designing and building real-world solutions using the tools and transferable skills that help industry professionals succeed in their careers. This dynamic unit introduces learners to high-demand skilled trades and empowers them to design sustainable, functional spaces for tomorrow’s communities. Whether they are creating or analyzing blueprints, or constructing prototypes, students will gain practical experience, technical skills, career insights, and the confidence to build their own futures—literally.
What excites you about this new class, and who would you recommend enroll in it?
What excites me about BFF is that it brings together many of the other classes within CTE/PLTW. It is taking the place of Engineering the Environment / Green Architecture. In the BFF class, kids will learn how to work with PVC pipes for plumbing, hammer nails into wood as they learn the concepts of building a wall, and build a miniature house (with floor plans). This class can prepare them for the Homebuilding class that is offered at the high school level in the CTE program.
Does A.I. scare you?
At times, yes, especially when I feel like my phone is listening to me and gives me references for topics I talk out loud about to other people. If used properly, it is an extremely powerful tool.
Looking back, what achievement in your PLTW teaching or athletic leadership are you most proud of, and why does it stand out to you?
Tough question because there are so many. I would just say that it gives me pure joy when my students reach high school, return to visit me, and tell me they love their engineering classes because of what they learned in my classes. In the athletic world, being at the games and seeing the faces of students when they achieve a goal or defeat a visiting team is well worth the time and energy I put into the Slauson athletics program!
How do you spend your summers?
I spend time with family, friends, and dogs, but a good portion of my summer is spent teaching PLTW curriculum to teachers across the country. It’s rewarding to be a part of building knowledge for future teachers who share my passion.
What would surprise your students or even your closest co-workers to know about you?
On my bucket list is to have a llama put on my front lawn for a future birthday. They are definitely among my favorite animals, second only to dogs.
I always loved llamas because I think they are super cute. I once saw someone deliver a real one (a petting zoo) to someone’s yard for an event, and I thought: Wouldn’t it be cool to have that for my birthday? Definitely a picture moment!
Another bucket list item for me is to take a ride in a Blue Angels jet. With me teaching Flight and Space, I just think it would be incredibly cool to be up there in the sky doing maneuvers with a real Blue Angels pilot. I know I would probably get sick, but it would totally be worth it!
Most-used app on your phone: TikTok / Facebook / Instagram. I mostly go into all three for funny dog videos and pics of family and friends.
What message would you like to share with the Slauson Middle School students, staff, and families who have benefited from your leadership in both academics and athletics, and what are you most excited about for the future of the school?
From the very first day I started working at Slauson, I felt like I was adopted into the Slauson school/community family. I can’t say enough about the admin and staff I work with daily in teaching and athletics. We have some big changes coming our way due to the current construction projects at Slauson. I’m super excited to see what the future holds for our building and our programs (in-house and CTE/PLTW district-wide). It will definitely be new Golden Bear territory.
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