Welcome to the 2011 ACE Design Build Summer Workshop!  This year marks the second year of  partnership between the Chicago ACE Mentor Program and the Chicago Public Schools, making possible a fantastic opportunity for CPS high school youth interested in the design and construction industry!

Last year’s pilot program enrolled 12 CPS juniors (rising seniors) to work on a community design project for the Ujima Community Garden, near Garfield Park on Chicago’s west side.  This year’s team of 15 students will tackle an even bigger and more prominent project – designing and building a community gateway structure for the West Humboldt Park neighborhood, along Chicago Ave. West of Sacremento Blvd.!  The team will work closely with local community leaders and residents, the Chicago Dept. of Transportation, fabricators, and other professionals to deliver a capstone project along a stretch of Chicago Avenue which is seeing major street improvements along a three-mile length of road running through several neighborhoods and three aldermanic wards.  The project is made possible through generous funding by the Chicago Public Schools Youth Ready program, the Lend Lease Foundation, and a local TIFF grant providing construction funding.

For more information about this program, please contact acementorchicago@gmail.com or contact the program Director, Matt A. Snoap at msnoap@umich.edu