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JUNEAU - Craig Mapes, Ricky Bass and Ben Collman, Juneau-Douglas High School's Construction Trades, math and science teachers recently participated in national two-week training institutes, Architecture, Construction and Engineering Academy, sponsored by Project Lead the Way, at Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of New Hampshire. The institutes prepared these teachers to deliver this unique curriculum being offered by the ACE Academy this year in pre-engineering and architecture.

"The training was good," said Bass, a math and Introduction to Engineering Design instructor. "The course reflects the work done in the industry."

Founded in 1997 to address the shortfall in students' science, technology, engineering and math skills, Project Lead the Way has built a project-based learning program based on national standards for math, science and technology education linking demanding math and science courses with quality academic and technical courses.

Three-year long courses are being offered this school year:

• Introduction to Engineering Design: Students will learn the design process and solve design problems as they develop, create and analyze product models using computer modeling software.

• Digital Electronics: Students will use computer simulations to learn the logic of electronics as they design, test and actually construct circuits and devices for functionality.

• Civil Engineering and Architecture: Introduces the interdependent fields of civil engineering and architecture where students learn project planning, site planning and building design.

These courses are open to all ACE Academy and Juneau-Douglas High School students on a space-available basis. Contact Barb Conant in the counseling office to enroll, 523-1650.