AchieveTexasinAction
ACEMentorProgram
DallasIndependentSchoolDistrict
www.dallasisd.org
SeniorsatSkylineHigharebuildingbrighterfuturesthanks
tomentorsfromtheACEMentorProgramofDallas-Fort
familiarizingteachersandcounselorswith
Worth.
themajorcomponentsofAchieveTexassuch
Theyareintroducedtoarchitectural,construction,and
ascareerclusters,programsofstudy,and
engineering(ACE)careerfieldsthroughauniqueprogram
TexasAchievementPlans.Itmeansinstillinga
thatbringstogetherprofessionalsfromtheseindustriesand
spiritofcollaborationamongalleducators.
offersstudentsaccesstonetworkingandscholarship
Asalocaldistrict,youandyour
opportunities.
colleaguesshouldprovideprofessional
ACEMentorsfrom16organizationsadoptstudentsfrom
developmentprogramsthathelpteachers
Skyline’sarchitecturemagnetprogramtocreatementoring
andcounselorsimplementAchieveTexas.
teams.IndustryleadersincludedintheprogramareHKS
“Notonlydoesthe
Designanongoingseriesoflearning
Architects;Thornton-TomasettiGroup;LopezGarciaGroup;the
SkylineArchitecture
experiencesthatputstheprinciplesof
UniversityofTexasatArlington;andHospitalCorporationof
AchieveTexasintopractice.Createa
America;amongothers.Thefirmsfocusonintroducing
Clusterintroduce
professionaldevelopmentprogramthatis
studentstothereal-worldchallengesandrewardsofdesign
basedon21stcenturyknowledge,skillsand
andbuildingcareers.
studentstothe
abilities.
Thepartnershipstakeshapeatatimeofgrowthinthe
constructionindustry.Thenumberofconstructionworkers
professional
UseEducationServiceCenters
nationallyincreasedfrom5millionin1994to6.7million environmentandthe
Professionaldevelopmentexperiencesto
in2003,accordingtotheU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.
supportAchieveTexaswillalsobeprovided
Jobgrowthprojectionsindicateconstructionemployment
variousoccupations,
byEducationServiceCenter(ESC)staff.The
willincreasemorethan15percentinthenextfewyears.
itallowsthemthe
ESCswillberesponsibleforproviding
TomCox,ACEMentorboardmemberandArchitecture&
technicalassistancetoschoolsthatsupport
ConstructionClusterCoordinatorforSkyline,saysthe16
opportunityto
clustersandprogramsofstudy,including
firmsworktogethertodevelopaprogramthatincludes
networkwithfuture
professionaldevelopmentprograms.They
hands-onactivities,tours,videopresentations,andsitevisits.
willgivesmallerdistrictsawaytocollaborate
Aspartofthecurriculum,studentsaregivenadesign
employers.”
toshareresourcesandofferprogramsof
challengeinwhichtheyareguidedthrougheachstageofthe
— TomCox,SkylineArchitectural
studythatthedistrictsmightnotbeableto
assignmentbyACEMentorsteachingtheprinciplesand
ClusterCoordinatorandACE
provideindividually.
skillsofarchitecturaldesign.
Mentorboardmember
“It’sgreattogivethestudentsexposuretotheentire
BusinessandIndustry
designandconstructionprocess,”saysCox.“Theseniorsaregoingtobemakingsomebigdecisions
TheGovernor’sIndustryClusterInitiative
abouttheirfuturecareers,sothisexperiencewillproveinvaluableforthem.”
supportsvaluableopportunitiesfor
Alongwithexperienceplanning,designing,andexecutingaconstructionproject,Coxnotesthat
professionaldevelopmentthrough
studentsarealsogiventhechancetonetworkwithfutureemployers.AnotherbenefitfortheSkylineseniors
internships,externships,andeventeam
istheopportunitytoearnthe$2,000HumphriesScholarshiptotheUniversityofTexasSchoolof
teachingwithindustryexperts.Company
ArchitecturefromtheDallasArchitectureFoundationandHKSArchitects.
executivesreporttheirwillingnesstoshare
Theone-yearprogramculminateseachspringinanend-of-yearpresentationofteamprojectsto
expertiseandresourcestoensurethat
familymembers,friends,andeducators.Studentspresenttheirprojectsthroughmodels,drawings,
teachersandstudentslearnaboutemerging
electronicgraphics,andothermaterialsaswellasexplaintheirapproach,challenges,andsolutions.
technologiesandcareeropportunities.
SteveMilner,presidentoftheACEMentorBoardofDirectors,creditstheprogram’ssuccesstothe
Thesecollaborativerelationshipsexpand
commitmentoftheDallasIndependentSchoolDistrict,Skylinestudents,andthevolunteermentors.
teachers’knowledgeandskillswhilebetter
“Thefocusofallinvolvedhasremainedonpositivelyintroducingstudentstothefieldsofarchitecture,
preparingstudentstomakegoodcareer
construction,andengineeringinawaythatfacilitatestruecareeropportunityandpotential,”hesays.“Ilook
choices.
forwardtothegreatthingsthatthisorganizationwillaccomplishasitsupportsthegrowthofstudents
discoveringACE-relatedcareerprogramsofstudy.”
Page19
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24