Riley Computer Science & Engineering Magnet

09/25/2026

The Wooden Whistles Were a Success!
The Senior Capstone students put their woodworking skills to the test this week—and they passed! 👏

✅ Everyone demonstrated proper safety procedures.
✅ Students used the power tools when they felt comfortable and ready.
✅ Everyone finished their own wooden whistle.

And the most important question…
DO THE WHISTLES ACTUALLY WORK?
You be the judge! 👀😂

I’m proud of the students for taking their time, learning new skills, and putting safety first while creating something they can take home OR to the Riley games.

09/24/2026

🔧 Senior Capstone: Learning by Doing! 🛠️

The beginning of the year in our Senior Capstone class is all about exploring possibilities. Students get hands-on experience with different tools, technologies, and project ideas while learning the safety skills they’ll need throughout the year.

So far, students have explored:
💻 CAD design
🖨️ 3D printing
⚡ Arduino & breadboarding
🪵 Woodworking

This week, after passing their safety test, students are putting their skills to work by making wooden whistles!

Many of our students don’t have the opportunity to take a traditional woodshop or industrial arts class anymore, which makes this one of my favorite parts of the year. There’s something special about giving students the opportunity to work with their hands, learn how tools work, and create something they can take home.

Of course, I just hope they remember that the whistles are for learning—not for blowing during other classes! 😂 Otherwise, Mr. Tonkel and Mr. Ponder might find ourselves in a little trouble!

09/23/2026

🎓 SAVE THE DATE! 🎓
The Riley High School Class of 2027 will walk across the stage and celebrate this incredible milestone on:
📅 Wednesday, June 9
⏰ 7:00 PM
📍 University of Notre Dame – Joyce Center

We’re proud of the Class of 2027 and all they have accomplished.
💙💛 Go Wildcats! 🐾

07/09/2026

🏡 Thank you, Sy Barker and 466 Community Development, for investing in South Bend's southeast neighborhood! Your commitment to creating affordable housing and strengthening our community is making a lasting difference. We're grateful for everything you do to help our neighborhood thrive.

Thank you for partnering with Riley High School and South Bend Schools to give students meaningful, real-world learning opportunities. Years ago, Riley's PLTW Engineering students designed concepts for redeveloping vacant lots, and today South Bend Schools Building Trades students continue that work by building a new home in the neighborhood each year.

This is what a strong community looks like—students, schools, nonprofits, and neighbors working together to solve problems and create a brighter future for South Bend. ❤️

For decades, discriminatory practices kept many Black families from buying homes and building the kind of generational wealth homeownership can create. One South Bend nonprofit is working to close the racial homeownership gap created by those practices.

06/11/2026

🐾📚 Calling All Freshmen and New Riley Students! 📚🐾

Get ready to kick off the 2026–2027 school year at Riley High School's Freshmen & New Student Back-to-School Night!

📅 Tuesday, August 11, 2026
⏰ 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Riley High School Main Gym
1902 Fellows Street, South Bend

This is your chance to:
✅ Pick up your Chromebook
✅ Get your class schedule
✅ Receive your locker assignment
✅ Meet staff and fellow Wildcats
✅ Start the school year with confidence

Whether you're an incoming freshman or new to Riley, we can't wait to welcome you to the Wildcat family!

💙💛 Come prepared, ask questions, and get ready for an amazing year ahead.

🐾📖💻

06/05/2026

Since 2015, the Riley High School PLTW Computer Science and Engineering magnet program has helped students design, build, code, problem-solve, and prepare for bright futures. 💙💛

Our graduates are attending top universities, entering the skilled trades, and serving in the military. We’re proud to share some of the most popular paths our students have taken after graduation!

From Purdue University and IU South Bend to the U.S. Air Force and Indiana National Guard, Riley students continue making an impact wherever they go.

Thank you to all of our students, families, teachers, and community partners who have helped make this program successful over the last decade.

Tag a Riley PLTW graduate you know in the comments! 👇🐾

06/04/2026

Since 2015, the Riley High School PLTW Computer Science and Engineering magnet program has helped students design, build, code, problem-solve, and prepare for bright futures. 💙💛

We are proud of all the students, teachers, families, and community partners who helped make this program successful over the last decade. The future is bright for Riley Wildcats! 🐾

If you know someone who graduated from the Riley PLTW Computer Science and Engineering program, tag them in the comments and help us celebrate their accomplishments! 🎉

06/03/2026

🚁✈️ Learning by Doing in Aerospace Engineering! ✈️🚁

The Aerospace Engineering class is working right up until the final days of the school year. Students have spent time researching unmanned air, maritime, and ground vehicles, exploring how they are used in industry, public safety, transportation, agriculture, and recreation. They also learned about the responsibilities and safety considerations that come with operating these technologies.

But the best learning happens through experience.

Today, students took to the skies with a DJI Mini drone, capturing aerial views of the Riley campus while applying the skills and knowledge they’ve learned throughout the course. From flight planning and safety checks to piloting and photography, it was a great opportunity to see aerospace concepts in action.

And looking at these photos, it’s hard not to appreciate what a beautiful campus and community we have. How many high schools can say they sit alongside a scenic golf course while being surrounded by growing neighborhoods and new development?

💙💛 Riley students aren't just learning about the future—they're helping build it.

🚁🐾✈️

06/03/2026

Congratulations to the Riley High School Class of 2026! 💙💛

This senior class has worked hard in the classroom, on the field, in clubs, in internships, and throughout our community. We are proud to celebrate all they have accomplished and the exciting futures ahead of them.

Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance continue to make Riley proud. We cannot wait to see the impact you make in college, careers, the military, trades, and our community.
Congratulations, Wildcats! 🐾

06/02/2026

We are proud to celebrate the Riley High School Class of 2026 and their accomplishments in the PLTW Computer Science and Engineering program!

These students have spent the last four years designing, building, coding, testing, problem-solving, and preparing for their futures. We are excited to see the impact they will make in college, careers, the military, and their communities.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Your hard work, creativity, and dedication continue to make Riley proud. 💙💛