2023 - 2024 ARCHIVED WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Learning to build piers

Masonry students have been hard at work on our House Project building piers for the future deck that will be installed by Carpentry.

Calculating Heat Load/Loss

Day 2 HVAC students are measuring doors and windows for a Heat Load/Loss Calculation in preparation for installing a complete HVAC system in the House Building Project

Preparing for SkillsUSA State competitions!

Students in the CAD class have been preparing for SkillsUSA competitions this weekend in Virginia Beach! Four students are competing in 3D Visualization and Animation, two are competing in Architectural Drafting, and three are competing in leadership competitions. We also have a state officer who will represent the state at opening and closing ceremonies!

Solar Eclipse and Brightening our Future!

While we may have taken a few moments of class time to look at the educational phenomena, known as the Solar Eclipse, we did NOT take a break from brightening our future. We FINALLY completed our new lab and students started using the new lab to continue to work on their skills to add to their toolbox!

Bringing A Story to LIfe

Carpentry students have been busy building our annual playhouse for CASA. This year's theme is "The Magical Treehouse. Students have done a great job bringing the vision of the CAD students into reality. Look for our playhouse at Libbie Mill Library

Pouring Footings

Masonry students are mixing concrete and creating footings for the future piers that will be going in for House #20. Once the concrete is complete, students will wrap bricks around the piers to match.

Piping & Electrical

Day 1 students have finished their copper piping projects

and are now learning the basics of electricity and having fun with a Van De Graff generator

CAD IS going to states!

Students in the CAD program competed in 2 different competitions (Architectural Drafting and 3D Visualization and Animation) for SkillsUSA District 2.

We had 3 first-place winners, 3 second-place winners, and 2 third-place winners!

Nine students in total will be advancing to the state competition in Virginia Break this April!

Lighting the Path to Success!

Electricity I class continues to build their skills in the lab and they have almost finished the NCCER Core Certification!!!

Electricity II class continues their quest with finding employment, as 15 Electricity II Seniors have been "out to work" getting a jump start on their career!

All of this while continuing to build the walls for our new lab!

We have Walls !!!

Carpentry students have busy at the house project. All of the exterior walls are now installed and students have begun to work on the interior walls.

Carpentry 2 students began the annual playhouse construction this week. Look for more pictures to come!

Showcasing CAD skills at the career rodeo!

Our Seniors have been hard at work, practicing their skills to showcase in front of the hundreds of employers and businesses in Henrico County and the surrounding areas. This Tuesday students got the chance to show their skills at the Career Rodeo and talk to potential employers about their futures!

HVAC students attract spectators & resume requests

They demonstrate their pipe fitting skills by soldering and brazing copper pipes. They measure and record, operating pressures, temperatures any psychrometric conditions of a running heat pump using our refrigeration trainer.

almost time to showcase what we've been learning to the world!!

Our Seniors have been hard at work, practicing their skills to showcase them in front of the hundreds of Contractors that will be in attendance, looking for their future workforce! We brought in representatives from Ace Electric, the RJATC and Tribble Electric right before the Winter Break to give Students options in regard to where they will continue their Career paths after Graduation.

New lab and ready to raise walls

Carpentry student have been busy assembling the exterior walls on the house project. Most of the exterior walls finished and we are almost ready to erect them. Also, our new lab and classroom space is now ready for move in. We are excited to be begin working in this new open concept.

Wall Construction

Masonry student have been working hard at our House Project constructing walls this past month. One side is complete and we've moved to the front wall of the building.

SKills Practice

Day 1: HVAC students working with iron pipes. Learning cutting and threading techniques

Day 2: HVAC student works with a visitor to braze-seal compressors before they get recycled

Tiny Homes and inclusive Design!

The CAD 1 students have been learning about the Tiny House Movement and how to design spaces tiny. They created their own custom tiny home floorplans and built paper models of them.

CAD 2 students have been learning about building codes from the ICC (International Code Council), as well as the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines for adaptability. Ahead of the National Schools Inclusivity Week, which is next week, students got the chance to redesign a home for a "client" who had a change in medical needs and required the renovation of their home for wheelchair accessibility.

Getting options for our future!!

The Electricity I students have started working in the lab, to sharpen their skills learning how to wire receptacles, make wire-nut joints, terminating hooks and using various hand tools.

Electricity II students have visits lined up from various contractors throughout November and December. This will help our students prepare for life after high school and help in getting ready for the Career Rodeo in January!

Top to Bottom

Carpentry 1 students learned about roofing from area roofing contractors. They worked on the new ACE Center roof. While Carpentry 2 students worked on installing the subfloor on the house project. Next time look for walls!

Completing Walls

Masonry students have been hard at work completing walls at our House Project. This week we have finished walls!

Ladder SKills

HVAC Day 1 students practicing the safe ladder skills needed to perform commercial service on rooftops and residential ventilation installs.

Mapping site plans

CAD 2 students visited the State Fair of Virginia to observe the trade programs competing in SkillsUSA competitions. While there, they worked on mapping site locations by being provided a Google map site of the entire lot and having to make notes of where items were placed, and what changes they would have made to make it flow better.

Lab WORk & earning certifications

Electricity I has completed their OSHA training and are excited to be getting in the electrical lab. Students will be completing various residential scenarios all while working towards earning their NCCER Core Curriculum certifications in the classroom. Electricity II students are working hard at completing their NCCER Level 1 Electricity certifications in time to go out to work 2nd semester. Quite a few students have already lined up a contractor and are excited to go out to work!!

Installing the Sill Plate

Carpentry 2 students have begun the framing process on our latest house. The first step is to install the sill plate which connects the foundation and the floors and walls of house. We will be handling the bulk of the work this year installing the floors, walls, etc. Look for more updates later!

Laying Brick

Masonry 2 students have started working at our House Project. This is the 20th house HCPS Career and Technical students will be building and Masonry students play a key role in the foundations, exterior and landscaping of each house.

Working in the Lab

HVAC 2 students are learning about motors used in our industry. Discovering how they work, how they start and run.
As we organize our temporary shop, they enjoy dismantling equipment and studying their operation.

Designing the year off strong!

CAD 2 students are starting the year off strong with a big project! Students are working together with the other trades programs to design an outdoor educational space that all students at the ACE Center will use. They are busy researching, measuring spaces, and brainstorming ideas to implement into the space which is currently under construction.

CAD 1 students are busy learning, reviewing, and practicing object visualization and orthographic views. They worked together on an activity to match the correct views and line types to the 3D objects shown on the board.

Taking a stroll down Electric Avenue!!!

As we welcome the new school year and seeing both new and familiar faces, we are excited for the Student's futures in our Electrical Industry! To prepare for this, Electricity I will start earning their 10 hour OSHA cards next week (Sept 5th)!

Electricity II has already had their 1st Module test for their 2ND INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION and they are excited to prepare to get out to work in the 2nd Semester. After their test, a few students helped to hang a key box and some whiteboards in our classroom!

WORKING HARD

Masonry students have been hard at work completing the front wall of the house project and collaborating with the carpentry class to complete a sidewalk for our ACE@HS Springers students.

Bringing A Story to LIfe

HVAC

HVAC Day 2 Students hard at work measuring windows and doors for the Heat Load/Loss Calculation in preparation for installing a complete HVAC system in the House Building Project

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