East Student Part of ACE Team Heading to DC

East student Gil Gonzales-Jacobo is part of a team presenting their ACE construction proposal next week in Washington, DC.

Gil Gonzales-Jacobo, a junior at East High School and Central Campus, is part of a team presenting their ACE construction proposal next week in Washington, DC.

Gil Gonzales-Jacobo, a junior at East High School and Central Campus, is part of a team heading to Washington, DC for a national design competition.

Gil takes part in the ACE Mentor Program of Central Iowa, which introduces students to the fields of construction, engineering and architecture.

Gil joins students from other metro high school in developing a plan for a historical revitalization challenge of the recently demolished downtown YMCA. They will present their submission next week.

Below is the announcement from ACE:

The ACE Mentor Program of Central Iowa (ACE C-IA) is excited to announce that a team of Des Moines-area high school students was recently selected to compete in the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT)/ACE Mentor Program National Design Competition in Washington, DC. This year’s submission from the Des Moines-area team was a historical revitalization challenge for the recently demolished YMCA. Their submission was recently selected as one of 9 finalists out of 55 entries from ACE affiliates nationwide. The students will present the project at the CIRT Spring Conference on April 25 in Washington, DC. As a finalist, the Central Iowa team will have the opportunity to compete for the top prize of $5,000 before a panel of distinguished judges from the CIRT, including CEOs from top design/construction firms.

In the fall of 2015, ACE C-IA established a select team of veteran students who were seeking a deeper, more-focused exploration of architecture, construction, and engi-neering to form the Competition Team. National

Competition team members include:

  • Gil Gonzales-Jacobo, DSM East HS
  • Sarah Madison, Urbandale HS
  • Kathryn Paszkiewicz, Johnston HS
  • Madison Thilges, Johnston HS
  • Allison Warnell, Johnston HS

In addition, professional mentors from local businesses have contributed over 250 hours of volunteer time to help guide the competition team through the design process. These mentors include:

  • Brant Bristow, Tometich Engineering
  • Mike Dean, InVision
  • Ryan Hepler, Wolin Mechanical Electrical
  • Holly Polmeier, InVision
  • Josh Ridgely, SVPA Architects

About ACE: The ACE Mentor Program of Central Iowa (ACE C-IA) is an affiliate of the ACE Mentor Program of America. Since 2006, ACE C-IA has introduced over 600 Des Moines-area high school students to the integrated construction industry. Further, through the generous donations by local architecture, construction, and engineering firms, ACE C-IA has awarded nearly $100,000 in scholarships to further their ACE-related education. The ACE Mentor Program of Central Iowa was recognized as an exemplary STEM Program by Governor Branstad’s STEM Advisory Council in 2012.

The ACE Mentor Program of America, established in 1995 in New York, currently has a presence in over 200 cities across the US. The ACE Mentor Program of America has received the 2014 Institute Honors for Collaborative Achievement from the American Institute of Architects, and the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Math and Engineering Mentoring.