ACE Mentor program is a new club at Venice that focuses on helping students who want to pursue a career in architecture, engineering and construction. In the club, activities include students building bridges and learning to read blueprints and construction plans.

Mr.Brent Rojo and Mr. Daren Kitajima are the sponsors of the new club. ACE stands for Architecture Construction Engineering.

The club started last month, and they have had a total of three meetings.

The club also helps students build a portfolio to present when applying to colleges. Students from all academies and grades are welcome to join.

Mr. Rojo has been teaching for a total of five years. Before he taught at Venice High, he was a civil engineer, so he has an extensive amount of experience in the field.

Architects Tim Housc and Karl Sobel are both advisers to the students in the program. Housc is part of an architect firm called XTen Architecture in Santa Monica. Sobel is part of the HOK architect firm in Culver City.

Field trips are also in line for the club. In a few weeks the team will be going to the Ove Arup & Partners to get a firsthand experience of the architecture world, where they’ll be able to ask questions and talk to architects.

During the spring semester, the national ACE Mentor Program will conduct a competition where different schools are all given the same project, and they are expected to make a design to present to the judges. Venice is expected to participate.

“My goals would be that I want some of these people to major in these fields, and I want them to take advantage of this great opportunity,” said Mr.Rojo.

Meetings take place every other week in Shop 2 from 3:15-5:15 p.m.

For more information, see Mr.Rojo in Room 251 or Mr.Kitijima in Room 235.