ACE Mentor Program of Washington

Mission

The ACE Mentor Program of Washington mission is to engage, excite and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction through mentoring and to support their continued advancement in the industry.

Description

The ACE Mentor Program of Washington is a local affiliate of a national organization based in Maryland. It is a high school mentoring program that pairs STEM-minded students interested in careers in architecture, building engineering, and construction (A/E/C), with professionals in those fields. A group of students and professionals (who volunteer their time as mentors) form a team to explore the various careers and then design a building on paper, just as the professionals do at their every day jobs.

Here are some things our students have said about ACE:

"ACE was the club I had dreamed of when I was just an elementary school student fooling around with Sketch Up." - ACE Scholarship Recipient

"Through this program, my obsession with engineering only grew. I caught a glimpse of mechanical
engineers in their 'home,' what they do, and how they do it, giving me an idea of what my future will hold." - Former ACE student

"I have gained skills in project planning, bubble diagramming, conceptual phase drawings, model making, Sketch-Up tools, and working in a group. In addition, I have had the opportunity to grow as a student, a thinker, an individual." - Former ACE student

"(ACE was) an opportunity to show me what architecture is really about. I used to be very shy, but thanks to my mentors and friends, I have learned to speak up and share my ideas. I started to have more confidence in myself." - Former ACE student