Real work, real impact. Chicago teens building communities.
An extension of our after-school program, the ACE Mentor Design/Build Summer Workshop gives students the opportunity to see their work realized. Launched in 2010 as a partnership with CPS, the program introduces students to a real world design problem and asks them to respond with a creative design solution. And then we build it!
The workshop is open to students enrolled in the after-school program through an application process. Selected students work for seven weeks during the summer, from late June through early August, and receive a college/university scholarship at the end of the program. It is an exciting and challenging opportunity for students who have completed one year of the ACE after-school program. For more information, see the link below.
About the ACE Summer Design/Build Workshop
- A unique summer apprenticeship program that immerses students in a 7-week hands-on community design project.
- The student team of up to 20 high-school students and 3 or more college students will be led by working and licensed professionals in Architecture, Engineering and Construction Management.
- Participants engage with a real client, a real design problem and real budget, and will be asked to think critically and to express creative design solutions.
- The summer begins with a community design event in late June, and culminates in August with a final student presentation and ribbon cutting, unveiling the built project!
- The program teaches practical design skills including brainstorming, hand-drawing, modeling with 3D software, and presentation and construction skills. More importantly it teaches students about teamwork, community engagement and how to manage a creative design process.
- The 2021 workshop will run from Monday-Friday from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm June-August. Additional details will be available by mid-May.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Our community partner in 2020 was Blackstone Bicycle Works. Additional program support came from the HDR Foundation and the Turner Construction Foundation, Clune Construction, Turner, R. Olson, Latent Design, Gilbane, Walsh, WSP, Wight & Co, Chicago Metal Rolled Products, Altus Works and many more! Photos by: Dominick J. Gallegos