Brunswick Chapter of ACE Mentor Program Off to a Great Start
Luke Ouellet of Ouellet Construction and Rick Wilson of Brunswick High School are co-mentoring the ACE Mentor Program (Brunswick Chapter) this year. As Community Outreach & Extended Learning Opportunity Coordinator at Brunswick High School, Rick Wilson works with students to teach them new skills and expose them to opportunities to guide them toward success in their professional future.
About the Program
The ACE Mentor Program includes fifteen weeks of hands-on mentoring sessions after school at local businesses to learn about the fields of architecture, construction, and engineering. The program kicked off in October 2018 and is scheduled through mid-February 2020. Fifteen high school students from Brunswick / Freeport / Morse / Mt. Ararat / and Region 10 Tech schools, along with several area mentors are participating in the program.
Volunteer mentors aim to encourage high school students to consider a career in architecture, construction or engineering, by showing them the variety of opportunities available and the benefits of working in these industries. Students have the chance to see the work being performed, to get hands-on experience, and to ask questions throughout the process.
This is the first year the program is offered in Brunswick, and so far it is off to a wonderful start.
Session Highlights
Brunswick High School & Ouellet Construction
The first few sessions were held at Brunswick High School, where students learned about technical drawings, plans, and designing spaces. The week of October 31st, students visited Ouellet Construction, where Luke and Don Ouellet showed them around the office and warehouse and gave them an overview of commonly used tools. Students also learned how to build a basic concrete masonry unit (CMU).
Wayfair
Most recently, students visited Wayfair at Brunswick Landing for activities surrounding interior design and Brunswick’s new Kate Furbish Elementary School. Wayfair employees gave a tour of their facility and presented on the national trends in school-building and interior design, followed by taking students through an activity that involved floor plans and design options.
Bath Iron Works
Next up is a visit to Bath Iron Works, a full-service shipyard specializing in the design, building, and support of complex surface combatants for the U.S. Navy. The students will spend the next two sessions at BIW, where they will take a tour of the shipyard, and learn about the architecture and engineering of the ships. The program’s final project is still being determined.
A Successful Start
The Brunswick chapter of the ACE Mentor Program is doing really well. They’ve maintained consistent attendance and engagement. Luke Ouellet, Rick Wilson, and volunteers involved are extremely encouraged that this inaugural year is off to such a positive start.