Architecture, Construction, Engineering Club Win Year-End Awards

The ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program of Northeast Florida held an end-of-year celebration, student presentations, and awards luncheon on April 28, at the Schultz Center. 

Bishop Kenny received top awards in both the team and individual categories.  The BK Life Lineup team was awarded first place in the Best Proposal category with their submission, “Project Provision in the Community Support Facility category.”  Seniors Grace Pendley and Josie Rill each received individual cash scholarships. ACE faculty sponsor, Ms. Allison Gallup, shared her enthusiasm stating, “This year’s competition was special because many of the seniors have been a part of the team since its founding four years ago. To watch them grow and become leaders, exploring different aspects of design, mentoring the younger students, and watching them discuss their designs against others was especially rewarding.”

The ACE presentations require the students to use their insights to guide their designs within the framework of a team project according to the prompt given by the ACE Mentor Program.  The competition brings teams from across the city together sharing their presentations highlighting unique solutions to the prompt.  Pendley ’23 was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from Gilbane Building Company to continue her education in architecture at the Savannah College of Art and Design.  Rill ’23 was awarded a $3,000 scholarship from the ABC Florida Women’s Council to continue her education at Wake Forest University where she will pursue a degree in engineering.

The ACE Club at BK, established in 2019 by Ms. Gallup, celebrated its 4^th year of integrating students with STEM careers this year.  Gallup is currently the Math Department Chair and has a Materials Science & Engineering Degree from UF with a specialty in plastics.  Community mentors who work in the design field are invited to weekly meetings throughout the school year to educate students about their job and work experience. Rill stated, “The most valuable benefit that students gain from participating in ACE is understanding their passions, and exposure to different design fields which helps students narrow their career options and decide what their major should be in college.”  In addition, students have opportunities for scholarships and internships from ACE mentors.