ACE Rhode Island
ACE Rhode Island gives Providence area high school students a chance to work closely with building industry professionals, who help them explore the many opportunities available in architecture, engineering and construction.
As mentors, these professionals describe industry career paths and rewards, while also working with the students on a range of unique and exciting design projects. Field trips to mentors’ offices as well as tours of actual jobsites show the students how the different professions work together to bring demanding construction projects to completion.
ACE’s Rhode Island affiliate began in 2001 with about 40 students from two charter high schools and approximately 40 local industry professionals. For the 2007-2008 program year, approximately 45 students from five schools will participate under the guidance of 55 mentors.
ACE Rhode Island offers two separate project programs. First-year students learn about various building industry fields and complete hands-on design projects they present at the end of each year, while second-year students form teams and participate in the ACE/CIRT national competition as their final project.
First-year students in previous years have designed a combined office and daycare center, as well as condominiums, a recreation center, a restaurant, an arcade and other projects. In 2006-2007, our first-year teams prepared plans, drawings and construction schedules for a combined aquarium, fitness club and retail center. This multi-faceted project introduced students to zoning regulations, architectural design, structural engineering, construction engineering and construction administration.
The project also exposed students to advanced tools, such as AutoCAD, SketchUp and Microsoft Project. The teams presented design boards, drawings and a Powerpoint show to parents and teachers at a special end-of-year event held at the University of Rhode Island. At that event, program leaders presented five seniors with college scholarships totaling $15,000.
Our students are introduced to the ACE fields and jump into our wild and wooly annual Tangoes competition.
Joseph Raposo
Chair
Senior Project Manager
Site Specific
Taylor Matthes
Vice Chair
Staff Architect
Vision 3 Architects
Amy Aleksiewicz
Affiliate Administrator
Designing your ideal career path
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Thanks to our many mentoring firms and sponsors who have helped us make our affiliate such a success.
Our board is comprised of local industry leaders who make a significant contribution to our affiliate. We are grateful for their continuing support.
View of board members
For all forms and more information about ACE in Rhode Island click here
If you are interested in working at one of our mentor firms as an intern or doing a job shadow, please download this application. Fill it out and bring it with you to the next ACE meeting. (Note, a parent or guardian’s signature is required.)
If you need Adobe Reader, please download it here.
If you’d like to experience ACE’s challenges, opportunities and rewards for yourself, contact us today!
Being part of ACE encouraged me to continue pursuing architecture as a course of study. The internship at an architectural firm this past summer allowed me to further observe the profession of architecture. I found ACE very enjoyable and was impressed at how many professionals are devoted to mentoring high school students.
