Charlotte
About Us
Founded in 2007 with the support of Turner Construction Company, the ACE Mentor Program of the Greater Charlotte Area is an after-school program for high school young people interested in exploring career opportunities in architecture, construction and engineering.
Through office tours, videos and field trips, the program introduces students to the industry’s various disciplines. In addition, under the mentorship of industry professionals, students work in teams on projects that simulate “real-life” situations.
After a 2007 pilot program with 11 students and 8 mentors, the 2007-2008 program is expected to have approximately 50 students from West Charlotte and Olympic high schools who will meet with 15 mentors for 17 two-hour sessions.
Our Projects
During the 2007 pilot program, students visited a high-rise condominium, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Architecture School and a mechanical fabrication shop. They also engaged in various “hands-on” activities. For example, at one session, students used spaghetti and gumballs as building materials for structures that helped answer three questions: How tall can the structure be? How much shake will the structure withstand? How much weight will the structure hold?
In the 2007-2008 program year, we will work on a project related to the completion of Charlotte’s first light rail system. The project will give each team an opportunity to design a light rail station for its school. In the process, the team will create whatever materials are necessary to demonstrate its solution. These materials might include drawings, sections, site plans, elevations and models. In addition, students will tour construction sites, the professional offices of architects, engineers and contractors, and various light rail system-related locations.
Watch Our Students During Their Mentoring Session
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Group 1 adds more levels to their design.
Group 1 creates a unique design build.
Group 2 sketches a design and build from their plan.
Walter B. Davis tests the structure.
Xa and Prince from Group 2 hash out the design feature.
Participate in ACE!
If you’d like to experience ACE’s challenges, opportunities and rewards for yourself, just contact the ACE leader listed in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
