Etiwanda High School Students Vision ‘The Hive’: A Future Safeguarded School Design, Graduating from ACE Mentor Program
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Brimming with pride and anticipation at their graduation on May 11, 2023, at the Cucamonga Valley Water District, the Etiwanda High School students, graduates of the ACE Mentor Program, stood tall, their achievements reflecting countless hours of dedication, innovative thinking, and the promising dawn of a future they've shaped with their own hands.
A transformative vision for future educational spaces, ‘The Hive,’ has emerged from this year’s graduating class of the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program. This trailblazing design is the brainchild of students from Etiwanda High School, part of a record-breaking group of over 120 ACE graduates from the Inland Empire. This initiative, led by international construction giant Skanska, has proven to be a crucial springboard for young talent into the thriving architecture, construction, and engineering industry.
“Every graduating class renews my belief in the immense potential and innovation our young minds harbor,” said Jeff Smith, Skanska’s Senior Project Manager and Chair of the ACE Mentor Program Inland Empire. “This year, ‘The Hive,’ a creation of the brilliant minds at Etiwanda High School, symbolized the essence of the ACE program – to inspire, innovate, and impact.”
In ‘The Hive,’ Etiwanda students reimagined conventional schools, presenting a future-focused design that combines versatility, scalability, and student-centric amenities. Their vision: a stimulating environment rich in color, filled with natural elements, and enhanced by cutting-edge technology.
Smith further emphasized, “‘The Hive’ is not just an extraordinary project, but a testament to the transformative ideas our students are capable of when provided with the right guidance and opportunities.”
The culmination of the ACE program was a graduation ceremony held at The Frontier Project, a Zero Carbon Footprint Building in Rancho Cucamonga. Over the past six years, this bastion of sustainability has been the proud host of ACE graduations, celebrating the achievements of future industry leaders.
Operating from October to May, the ACE program involves between 13 and 18 immersive sessions conducted with the guidance of industry professionals. Despite its broad reach across the Inland Empire, the program focuses on need-based participation, working with schools where students can most benefit from these opportunities. This year’s graduation was marked by the awarding of 30 scholarships to high-achieving seniors intending to pursue further education in architecture, construction, or engineering.
Smith remarked, “Watching the proud parents as their children present complex, professional ideas – nothing like it. It’s a testament to the transformational impact of the ACE program.”
The success of ‘The Hive’ and the record-breaking graduation class underscores the importance of the ACE program in nurturing the architects, constructors, and engineers of tomorrow. With the continued support of partners like Skanska and local high schools, the ACE program is set to inspire a new generation of students to envision, create, and shape their futures.
