The Eastern Iowa Chapter of Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program brings industry and education together to show a community-based approach to education. For ACE students, innovative and engaging courses await.
Kirkwood Community College will lead the first Eastern Iowa Chapter of the Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program with an ACE Mentor meeting Thursday, October 23, 2014, in the Kinnick Stadium Press Box. Over 170 high school students within Kirkwood’s seven-county area have shown an interest in being a part of the ACE Mentor Program. These students, along with 40-plus industry mentors, will meet from 8 to 11:30 a.m. to discuss design and building plans for a 1,500 square foot, $250,000 STEM Center for Clear Creek Amana Middle School. In addition to participating local industry mentors, Kirkwood has partnered with Shive-Hattery, Inc. and the Greater Iowa City Area Home Builders Association for the design and construction portions of this new STEM Center.
“The Greater Iowa City Area Home Builders Association supports the ACE program and the STEM initiative to entice teenage students into exploring the myriad of exciting career opportunities in the home building and remodeling trades,” said Joan Tiemeyer, executive officer of the Greater Iowa City Homebuilders Association.
Keith Johnk, senior planner for Shive-Hattery, Inc., believes that the ACE Mentor Program offers this industry an opportunity to reach out to the next generation(s) to show them what we can offer as a great career.
“It is definitely encouraging that in just the first year, over 150 students have indicated an interest in our industry. We are very fortunate to begin our program chapter with a very real project. As a design experience, it doesn’t get more real than that,” commented Johnk.
The Eastern Iowa Chapter of the ACE Mentor Program was started by Kirkwood’s construction management instructors Joe Greathouse and Steve Hanisch. Greathouse and Hanisch saw a good fit and need with the ACE Mentor Program because of Kirkwood’s preexisting ACE Career Academy for area high school students. Kirkwood’s ACE Career Academy offers high school students the opportunity to experience unique, hands-on laboratory and classroom experiences in basic architecture and construction skills, with support from industry experts.
The Eastern Iowa Chapter of the ACE Mentor Program is open to any high school student who has the curiosity and drive to learn about a career in design and construction – from contracting and engineering to architecture and landscaping. Students will join teams of other students led by adult mentors who are local, practicing industry professionals. The ACE Mentor Program is designed to immerse students into the profession by engaging them in actual building projects. Including the initial meeting, students and their mentors will meet three more times between now and January to finalize the STEM Center design plans. Construction of the new building will begin in June 2015. The building phase will be open to all students, not just those that are a part of the ACE Mentor Program.
“This is education and industry coming together to give back to the community and to give students a huge opportunity,” commented Greathouse.
Clear Creek Amana Middle School principal, Brad Fox, is extremely excited about the implementation of the ACE Mentor Program and particularly the involvement of the Clear Creek Amana high school students.
“Close to one-third of the participating students are from Clear Creek Amana. The support from area contractors, businesses and community members has been outstanding. I feel lucky to live in an area where everyone values the connection between education and industry. Programs such as the ACE program benefit area students, businesses, and the communities involved,” said Fox.
For more information about the Eastern Iowa ACE Mentor Program, visit www.explore-ace.org.