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 ACE Technical Charter High School

is a school with a curriculum based upon architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) fundamentals. The school was formed based upon a vision of Chicago ACE professionals who saw the need to introduce a new generation of youth to the these professions – particularly minority and low income youth.  Working with the City of Chicago, the firms and unions applied for the creation of this charter school, opening its doors in 2004. 

ACE Technical Charter High School 

Based on a blind admissions lottery, students submit a writing sample and are encouraged to have a desire to enter architecture, construction, or engineering after graduation. The school will graduate its first class in June 2008 with 84 students. At this time, 20% of this class is interested in construction careers, while 40 percent is interested in architecture or engineering. The remaining 40% is still undecided.  

The schools mission is: “To provide for our students the highest levels of instruction and academic achievement combined with exemplary character development that will prepare them for post-secondary and apprenticeship education and sustained lifelong success.”

A non-for-profit organization, ACE Tech receives 80% of its from the Illinois State Board of Ed through Chicago Public Schools as a district office or LEA. It seeks the additional 20% from foundations, government organizations, and industry partnerships.  Particularly underfunded within the school are the athletic programs, facility needs, and library. Through the generous support of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP , ACE Tech is developing one of the most impressive architectural collections in the Chicago area for a High School Library.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Founded in 1936, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), is one of the world's leading architecture, urban design, engineering, and interior architecture firms. SOM's portfolio includes the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago; the Canary Wharf in London; the Washington Mall and Constitution Gardens in Washington D.C.; and the Lever House in New York City. Currently, the firm maintains offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

ACE Tech’s & SOM’s Partnership

The partnership between ACE Tech and SOM began in 2006.  The glue beyond the partnership is the donation of staff time by SOM’s Library and Records Manager, Karen Widi.  Karen has worked at SOM for the past 9 years.  She oversees the acquisitions, purchasing, and cataloging of the library’s collections, as well as conducting research requests for staff at the Chicago location, and supporting the other offices of the company world-wide.

As part of Karen’s job, in support of the partnership with ACE Tech, she contacts publishers and coordinates additional donations of books to the ACE Tech library.  Publishers include:

• Abbeville Press
• Elsevier
• Images Publishing
• Prentice Hall
• Princeton Architectural Press
• Rockport Publishers
• Taschen
• Thames & Hudson
• Visual Reference Publications

Since the partnership's conception, over 100 books have been donated to the ACE Tech Library. SOM itself has donated over 400 architectural books.  Black and Decker also donated power tools to the school.

Through SOM’s support, a server and software was also purchased to track the book donations, which also serves as the school library’s catalog. The donated books are sent to Karen, who logs them in, recording the title of each item, the donating publisher, and then attaches a bookplate to each book.  Thank you correspondences are sent to each of the publishers for their contributions.   

The SOM library also shares any extra magazine issues that it might receive, and passes along any valuable materials weeded from its own collection to the ACE Tech library.

Other ways SOM contributes to ACE Tech include:

• Student internships, including the support of one student over the past two summers with a paid internship at SOM headquarters, where the student learned hands on architectural experience as well as business practices.
• Provide lecture series on the “Day in the Life of an Architect” both at the school and at SOM headquarters. 
• Provide tours of the Chicago Trump tower for students.

For their efforts, SOM was awarded a Friends of ACE award in 2007, which is one of the recognition awards at their Annual Awards Gala given to partners and individuals who in the past year contributed support to the school.  SOM’s contribution stood out for not only did they provide financial resources, but in-kind support, and the time of their staff, towards supporting both the library and the school’s mission. 

“SOM is more of a ‘Life Line’ than just a Friend of ACE,” says James Miletello, Director of Development & Evaluation for ACE Tech.  Within the library, the Discovery Den is a special area that recognizes the contributions of SOM.  This area is equipped with comfortable armchairs and tables that are designed to facilitate student involvement.

ACE Tech also wishes to recognize the Carpenters Labor Management Cooperative Committee (CLMCC) for their support in helping furnish the library.  The library was named “The Earl Oliver Memorial Library” in honor of the late Mr. Earl Oliver, a former CLMCC president. The recognition is especially apt, as Mr. Oliver devoted his life to labor issues, education, and equal opportunity within the trades.

Question about ACE Technical Charter High School, or organizations wishing to contribute to the support of the school’s mission or library can be sent to James Miletello at jmiletello@acetechnical.org or (773) 548-8705, ext. 2021.

Questions or additional information about the SOM library can be emailed to Karen Widi at Karen.Widi@som.com.

This article by Christina Stoll of MLS was originally published in the MLS E-nnounce, February 6, 2008, vol. 2, iss. 3