JACKSONVILLE, FL — The ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida kicked off its 2022-2023 program with the Sporting Clay Fundraiser on Thursday, September 22 at Jacksonville Clay Target Sports. In only its second year, the event includes organizations from across the city of Jacksonville and has quickly become a staple in the non-profit’s fundraising efforts. "I’m beyond grateful for the overwhelming support from our community,” said Affiliate Director Nicole Eubanks. “Their willingness to not only donate their time throughout the school year, but also give monetarily helps set these students up for success”. The $56,000 raised at the Clay Shoot will directly impact Northeast Florida high school students by way of educating, mentoring, and awarding scholarships.

In addition to the funds raised, another highlight of the successful day included hearing from ACE Alumni and current Junior Mentor, Rebecca O’Neal. This past summer, Rebecca was awarded a NAC/ACE Alumni Scholarship from ACE National. She received a warm welcome at the Clay Shoot as she spoke about her experience and appreciation for the ACE Mentor Program. “ACE has helped steer me in the right direction for pursuing a career in this industry. I hope to continue giving back to an organization that has greatly helped me,” says Rebecca. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at the University of North Florida and is also a Junior Mentor at Riverside High School.

After a successful start to the school year, ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida looks to continue that with their upcoming Student Kick-Off held the week of October 31, 2022. Students will begin their journey through the after-school program, taking on “real-world projects” through the help of volunteer industry professionals. The non-profit’s goal is to help students gain an understanding of what architects, contractors, and engineers do on a daily basis.

To learn more about joining ACE Mentoring Program of Northeast Florida as a student or mentor, please visit www.acementor.org/northeast-fl.

About ACE Mentor Program

ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida is a nonprofit organization helping high school students explore careers in architecture, construction and engineering through after-school mentoring and scholarships to support their continue advancement in the industry.