OBC Academy for Architecture, Construction and Engineering, Portland, Oregon

The Oregon-Columbia Chapter AGC, through its foundation arm, the Oregon Building Congress, recently helped launch the OBC Academy for Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE), a public charter school in Portland, Oregon.

ACE, which opened its doors for the 2008-2009 school year, is the result of a partnership between the Oregon Building Congress and four local school districts. ACE offers a math, science, English, and technical skills curriculum in the design-build industry delivered in an integrated, hands-on setting.

The ACE Academy has the capacity to enroll 500 juniors and seniors for the 2009-2010 school year. All students who have completed the requirements for entrance into grade 11 are eligible to apply for admission to the school.

ACE, which is housed in the Willamette Carpenters Training Center, utilizes the training facilities of the Carpenters, the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center, the Northwest College of Construction, and the HVAC & Metals Institute. ACE receives support from many others in the industry, including Oregon-Columbia Chapter AGC and many of its members.

Students graduating from ACE will be prepared to go directly to work, an apprenticeship program, or a two- or four-year college.

Construction Careers Center, St. Louis, Missouri

AGC of St. Louis worked with local business groups, foundations, other associations and unions to get funding for the Construction Careers Charter High School, the first publicly funded high school for construction in the nation, which opened in 2001.

The Construction Careers Center's mission is to prepare students in grades nine through twelve for the future by providing an excellent foundation in academics, broad exposure to the construction industry, and relevant vocational education preparation. The school's curriculum is specifically designed by the construction industry to prepare students for entry into direct employment, a construction apprenticeship-training program, a community college or a four-year degree institution. The school implements strategies to encourage each student to develop the necessary skills, attitudes and work ethic to be successful in the construction industry.

AGC of St. Louis President Leonard P. Toenjes, who has been involved with the program since the very beginning, was instrumental in generating support from private institutions, such as Energizer and Enterprise Leasing, in addition to the local Home Builders Association, and various craftworker unions.

AGC of St. Louis appointed a seven-member board of education that includes four AGC contractors, a building trades representative, an educator and a parent. AGC members helped - time, money and equipment - renovate a vacant former school.

Academy for Career Education, Sparks, Nevada

The Nevada Chapter AGC through its members was instrumental in helping start the Academy for Career Education (ACE), a Construction Trades Charter High School.

ACE is a tuition-free, construction trades/engineering, charter high school for 9th-through 12th-grade students. ACE offers students an opportunity to engage in an integrated academic curriculum and take specific construction/engineering courses.

Students in the Building Trades Program build a house from start to finish while learning all aspects of industry and apply English, math, science and social studies. Proceeds from the sale of the house will go directly to the following year's program.

ACE focuses on academics (reading, writing, math and science) through the application of construction skills. Our goal: high school graduation, with the ability to pursue post-secondary training in any construction field from management, engineering, architecture, to the trades, such as plumbing, electrician, carpentry, etc., as well as immediate employment.