Toledo
About Us
High school students in the Toledo area can now benefit from a nationwide program designed to introduce them to the wide range of career opportunities open to young people in architecture, construction, engineering, and related areas of the building design and construction industry.
At weekly meetings, student teams work directly with professionals from leading area firms, who volunteer their time to mentor the teams as they design hypothetical projects, tour local construction sites, and visit architectural, engineering and construction offices.
For students, it’s a unique chance to discover and develop new skills, solidify future goals and get on track to exciting, rewarding careers. In addition, many students form positive relationships with industry professionals who can provide important references for obtaining college admissions, scholarships, internships and full-time employment.
Our Team Projects
Students in the ACE program typically work closely with their mentors on projects that provide hands-on experience in solving the types of design, engineering and construction challenges industry professionals confront every day.
The teams often learn how to use advanced computerized tools, such as AutoCAD, while special exercises and activities illustrate the industry’s demand for young people skilled in math, physics, economics, art and other disciplines.
Many ACE affiliates culminate their program year with special events at which teams present their concepts to mentors, families, teachers and community leaders.
4th Annual Toothpick Bridge Competition
Sixty-students from Toledo Public Schools competed in our 4th Annual Toothpick Bridge Competition. Students were asked to build a bridge using only wooden toothpicks and white glue and the design requirements for each bridge required a minimum span of 10 inches and a weight less than 1.4 ounces.
Each student submitted his or her bridge to be recorded, photographed, weighed, and tested for structural capacity.
The testing process required each bridge to be placed across a 10 inch span and loaded until breaking. A 5-gallon bucket was hung from a cord tied to the ends of two wooden dowels ˝’’ in diameter. The dowels were then set across the bridge roadbed and weight was added to the bucket until the bridge could no longer hold.
Both the bucket and its contents were then weighed. The ratio of the load to the original weight of the bridge was used to calculate the strength of each bridge, and prizes were awarded for first, second and third place, with the winning bridge holding approximately 1000 times its weight!
Take a look at our pictures below.
Lucas County Multi-Purpose Arena Tour
A group of students from Toledo Public Schools spent an afternoon touring the Lucas County Arena. This new multi-purpose arena, located in downtown Toledo opened in late fall 2009, and is home to hockey and arena football, and serves as a venue for select basketball tournaments and various concerts/special events. The 8,000- 8,500 fixed seat, 250,000 square foot arena also features 20 suites, a club seating area, and exceptional views from every angle.
Prior to the tour, the students heard from the Arena’s Project Manager and Project Engineer on career paths and participated in a brief Q&A session.
Last year, about 50 students toured the Arena while it was under construction.
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.
5th Annual Toothpick Bridge Competition & Pizza Luncheon
Over 90 students from three area Toledo Public Schools competed in our 5th Annual Toothpick Bridge Competition & Pizza Luncheon. Students were asked to build a bridge using only wooden toothpicks and white glue and the design requirements for each bridge required a minimum span of 10 inches and a weight less than 1.4 ounces. Each student submitted his or her bridge to be recorded, photographed, weighed, and tested for structural capacity. The testing process required each bridge to be placed across a 10 inch span and loaded until breaking. A 5-gallon bucket was hung from a cord tied to the ends of two wooden dowels ˝’’ in diameter. The dowels were then set across the bridge roadbed and weight was added to the bucket until the bridge could no longer hold. Both the bucket and its contents were then weighed. The ratio of the load to the original weight of the bridge was used to calculate the strength of each bridge, and prizes were awarded for first, second and third place, with the winning bridge holding approximately 330 times its weight!
Take a look at our pictures below.
4th Annual Toothpick Bridge Building Contest
Lucas County Multi-Purpose Arena Tour
