On March 1st and 2nd, the AIA Colorado J.E.D.I Education Pipeline Committee and other AIA Colorado members participated in a Colorado Uplift Career Fair for middle school students at Lake Middle School and Colorado Sports Leadership Academy. Between the two schools, 497 students participated in the fair.
The event continues the J.E.D.I. Education Pipeline’s efforts to introduce school-age students to architecture to expand career pathway exploration and diversify the profession. Students attending the recent fair interacted with architects who shared physical and digital models, plan sets, and design books. A “sketch” wall captured students’ hand drawings of their favorite place (real or imagined). “Future Architect” stickers, provided in both English and Spanish by AIA Colorado, were quickly applied to students’ hats, sweatshirts, and backpacks. Curiosity about architecture abounded and questions were asked about salary, educational preparation, internship availability, and the challenges architects face.
The career fair host was Colorado UpLift, a non-profit organization serving the greater Denver community since 1982 with the mission to build long-term, life-changing relationships with urban youth. The organization serves 4,000 kids annually. By teaching leadership in classrooms and continuing to build relationships through mentorship after-school, UpLift provides holistic transformation.