Students in Cybersecurity have started their animation project! Throughout the next few weeks, they will learn how to draw, label, design, and animate within a digital environment. Below you can see several early examples of drawing and designing!
Creating custom colors
Using lists to repeat designs
Inserting and editing images
Using timers to begin learning animation
ACE@HS is having a wonderful spring! We have 4 HCPS Teacher Scholars that were named from Early Childhood Education. Mr. Cline was our February Staff Member of the Month. We hosted our first ever Trade Show in partnership with the Central VA Electrical Apprenticeship. Our 5th CASA Playhouse designed by CAD and built by Carpentry was delivered to Libbie Mill Library. Plus, classrooms are thriving with engaging activities and Teachers have had a little fun with stress breaks!
The Tech Ethics Society (TES) continues to foster a strong sense of community and purpose through meaningful outreach and service initiatives. In February, members participated in a heartfelt Valentine’s Day project, creating handmade cards for residents at a local senior center. Each card featured unique, student-designed artwork along with thoughtful messages filled with positivity and encouragement. This activity not only allowed students to express creativity, but also reinforced the importance of empathy, kindness, and using their talents to make a positive impact in the community.
Energy and Power students participated in our Career Connections Expo Day. Students built small solar-powered cars and sold them to members of the community. They created their own flyers and practiced customer service skills while explaining how solar energy works. In addition, students provided a free demonstration showing simple ways families can save money on their electricity bills. They shared practical tips for reducing energy use in the home. It was a great opportunity for students to showcase there energy knowledge to the community.
Students recently participated in the Sink or Swim Pitch Competition, where they presented their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges in a Shark Tank–style event. Participants showcased their creativity, communication skills, and entrepreneurial thinking while pitching products and services they developed. The competition provided students with valuable real-world experience and an opportunity to bring their ideas to life.
ECE students will be preparing for their ParaPro Assessment with review in math, reading, and writing in the coming weeks! Students will practice different math concepts, while using visuals and drawings to demonstrate, verify, and justify their solutions...even without access to a calculator! We look forward to math skill review days on March 3rd & March 5th. Students can access their ParaPro Math Study Guide/One-Pager by clicking on this link.
What a start to 2026! ACE@HS had our best CTE Career Rodeo Yet with 300 resumes collected for interested business partners. We celebrated, Ms. Harris during National School Counselors Week for how she amplifies students in so many ways. HCPS Middle schools visited us during February to learn about ACE programming and career opportunities. Plus, Teachers had professional learning with lots of collaborative and engaging experiences to help us grow!
Energy students have been working through the early design stages of creating their Solar Sprint cars, turning ideas into real plans. They’ve learned the basics of Onshape to model their designs and think through how each part will function. Some teams have even started 3D printing custom parts for their solar-powered vehicles as they move from concept to creation.
Entrepreneurship students are exploring the power of branding by designing original logos. Through creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on practice, students are learning how visual identity helps shape a business. This logo challenge allows entrepreneurship students to practice real-world branding that reflects a company’s purpose, values, and target market.
Carpentry students have been implementing their knowledge of right triangles, the Pythagorean theorem, and measuring angles to make different support structures/beams. Next week, they will begin to explore the mathematics behind several of their common tools, most notably the speed square!
As we begin 2026, we are excited about all the success our students have achieved to date! Our Workplace Readiness Certification pass rate this year was 84% - congratulations to all!
Students worked had fun during National Inclusive Schools week with various activities - including, Rock Painting to add to our Kindness Garden at the front of the school!
Congratulations to Ms. Black, our November Staff Member of the Month.
We are also getting ready for the Annual CTE Career Skills Rodeo Event on January 22nd where our seniors showcase their skills to future employers at the Richmond Raceway!
High Tech students are well on their way in planning projects for the TSA competition. They're using programs like OnShape to create models to construct or 3D print and Scratch to program video games!
This week, our Energy and Power students are putting the finishing touches on their model power grids. After learning how electricity moves from generation to transmission and finally distribution, students have been wiring their own miniature systems using customized project boxes. Their hard work and problem-solving skills are paying off as their grids come to life and demonstrate how real electrical infrastructure works!
Students have been engaged in dynamic entrepreneurship sessions. Here, our GIS Drones Program is brainstorming new funding pathways to support our expanding program. Real-world planning, real-world impact!
Using Desmos 3D to graph points or vertices.
The GIS & Drones class + High Tech Academy took a field trip to Dewberry Engineering! The groups were able to explore and see contour mapping, land design with site mapping + hydraulic pumps, 3D mapping and rendering, and storm water runoff systems! In the coming weeks they will practice those simulated skills with various math technologies.
Contour mini golf simulation - including five holes and a 'design your own hole' for others to golf!
Using GeoGebra 3D to create similar solids.
Congratulations to our 25-26 ACE@HS Teacher of the Year - Mr. Jason Wynne, Electricity and 25-26 Christie Award Winner - Mr. Bruce Wilson! Several of our programs won NACo Awards:
Connecting Past and Present: Historical Trades Student Expo (Carpentry, Masonry, CAD, Electricity, & HVAC)
Rock Solid: The Spirit of the ACE Center (All programs)
Empowering Seniors to Grab a Slice of Their Futures (All programs)
Springer Preschool: Students Renovating for Students (Cybersecurity, Carpentry, Masonry, CAD, Electricity, & HVAC)
Students enjoyed our ThinkFast Interactive Assembly during Red Ribbon Week was a large success for first year students and we had an excellent set up with Open Houses and High School Visitors during October!
The National Technical Honor Society began the year by exploring opportunities for community service and planning future club activities. Members recently decorated and distributed donation boxes to classrooms in support of the Henrico Christmas Mother organization. Last year, NTHS students collected, sorted, and packed the classroom donations for delivery, and they are eager to continue that tradition of service again this holiday season.
This week, Energy and Power students are starting their Renewable Energy Unit, focusing on wind and solar power. Two of the fastest growing sources of energy. They’ll explore how these technologies generate clean electricity and what role they play sustainable future. Students will be working on many hands on labs and testing how we can harness a natural resource into Energy!
Entrepreneurship students have been diving into the world of business by creating detailed business plans for their school-based enterprise, learning the essential foundations of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. They've also been hard at work identifying and crafting their own unique target audiences in preparation for our upcoming community Expo Day, where their creativity and business savvy will take center stage!
Carpentry students in year 1 have been visualizing and constructing different 3D solids from their 2D nets using graph paper. This has also led to understanding different types of 1D, 2D, and 3D measurements...like length, area, and volume.
Automotive students in year 2 can be seen showcasing their skills to automotive business leaders in the greater Richmond area! These students have continued to demonstrate their career readiness by implementing auto shop systems within our school's auto shop!
ACE@HS has already jumped in with hands-on experiences in real world settings for our students. Masonry was hard at work learning how to spread mortar to get ready to work at House #21 Foundation. Our new GIS & Drone Technology program has started learning about drone technology and obstacles.
Mr. Curtis Johnson, one of our ACE@HS Cybersecurity Teachers, was named the RVATech Educator of the Year! Plus, one of our thankful families delivered a sweet surprise for the Electricity Teachers (Mr. Jason Wynne, Mr. Willie Cline, & Mr. Jordan Baldwin) to show appreciation for the impact they've had on the classroom and students.
The Annual State Fair Trade and Industrial SkillsUSA State Championships will take place on Monday, September 29th and Tuesday, 30th at the State Fair Grounds in Doswell, Virginia. Secondary students will compete in many competitions related to their career class such as Automotive Service Technology, Auto Body, Carpentry, Electrical Construction Wiring, HVACR, Welding, Television Production, Photography, Masonry Fantasy Manikin, Manikin Comb-out, Total Fantasy Look, Total Fashion Look, Fantasy Nails, Natural Hair Braiding, Criminal Justice, Drafting, Job Demo, Drone, Promotional Bulletin Board, and First Aid/CPR.
The ACE at Highland Springs Cosmetology II students have been preparing for the Cosmetology related competitions at this event. They will compete in the following competitions:
Total Fashion Look
Total Fantasy Look
Fantasy Nails
Natural Hair Braiding
Manikin Comb-out
Fantasy Manikin
We wish them the best of luck!
Energy and Power students are off to a great start to the school year! Currently we are diving into the fundamentals of electrical circuits and what materials it flows through. We've been working with the Matrix Locktronics kits, getting hands-on experience with training tools used by top industries in the energy and power field!
Our Entrepreneurship students created their own business folders filled with marketing ideas, pitches, classroom flyers incorporating AI, and defined manager and classroom roles. These folders showcase their creativity and organization, while providing them with the tools to run their classroom like a real business.
Trades classes have started to measure length with rulers and tape measures. In these visuals we are making connections with units of 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2...in relation to the whole. Anyone can access this visual aid through the link <https://polypad.amplify.com/p/D7oeCnVAih5uEQ#polygons>
Our ACE@HS Game Changing Staff is thrilled to kick off another school year! We are excited for all the amazing events, activities, and celebrations to come.