On July 3rd, DBIA Northwest had the privilege of handing out a $2500 scholarship to Brianna Ong. Brianna Ong graduated from Redmond High School and will be attending the University of Washington next year with intended majors in Construction Management & Computer Engineering. DBIA Northwest Western Washington Steering Committee Member Jeannie Natta had the privilege of handing Brianna her well-deserved check.
“ACE has given me invaluable opportunities to explore the industry, provided me a strong community of friends and mentors, and instilled within me a passion for construction management. I hope to return to the ACE program as a mentor to not only see how much I’ve learned, but to spark the same kind of curiosity in the next generation of students.” – Brianna Ong
ABOUT ACE
ACE is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit with a mission to engage, excite, and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in the integrated construction industry through mentoring. Originating in New York in 1994, ACE is a national program with 71 affiliates in the US & Canada.
ACE is the only program that introduces high school students to the full process of designing and building a project, as well as all facets of the design and construction industry. Since 2001, more than 4,000 Puget Sound students have participated in ACE, with graduates receiving just shy of $1.4 million in scholarships.
This year 362 students from 78 high schools participated in ACE, joining 220 professional mentors from 79 local A/E/C firms and forming 15 teams that covered Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and a virtual option.
ACE works! About 75% of seniors who complete ACE study an A/E/C field at a university or trades program. More than 80% of ACE students surveyed agree ACE taught them skills and knowledge of the building industry. Plus, countless ACE alumni are back in Seattle, working for firms that mentored them and even mentoring themselves with ACE