Schools nurturing their students’ passions early on is very important. When students get to experience new hobbies relating to their passion they have a better sense of who they are and what they want to do as they get older. North Atlanta works hard to provide students with the opportunity to experience fields they are interested in. This is demonstrated by the existence of the ACE (architecture, construction, and engineering) club which works to build the future of those who want to go into technical careers.

This club’s existence is very important at North Atlanta in general due to the sheer amount of students going to Georgia Tech (a school that focuses its teachings on the same principle as ACE). Ava Radtke is a sophomore who aspires to go to Tech to be an architect and is working towards that goal by being a part of the ACE mentorship. In the club, she has been able to learn from people who have had successful careers in their field and connect with others with the same goal as her. “I love having the opportunity to talk to these architects and learn more about this field,” Radtke said.

In addition to having guest speakers, the club provides a lot of other opportunities for its members. One of these opportunities is a gala where students present their ideas to ACE members around the city. Leading up to the gala, students work to complete a project with help from their guest speakers. ACE members also get access to various scholarships and internships in their respective fields of choice. Club co-president Peyton Burch has already gone on to receive scholarships and a paid internship. “It’s really awesome because I get all of these opportunities and I’ve been able to explore career fields that I want to go into,” Burch said.

For those interested in joining ACE, the club meets every Wednesday after school in room 7163. At each meeting, pizza is provided and group work on projects is encouraged. Occasionally, the club will meet outside of school. For example, a past meeting was held at Northside Hospital’s newest building development to learn from the best in the industry. “There are no requirements in joining the club and I think anyone who wants to hang out after school and have a good time should join,” Burch said.

For students looking for another activity to add to their college resume, the ACE club is the perfect option. It provides real-world experience for students and allows them to meet peers with similar interests. As ACE continues to grow, its impact on students and NAHS will continue to build.