building connections
Student Outreach and Mentoring
Connecting Students to Preservation, People & Possibilities
APTNE is proud to support local non-profit organizations that focus on developing the next generation of architects, engineers, educators, contractors, conservators, advocates, and artists who will preserve our built environment.
Our community of preservation students and professionals volunteer their time throughout the year to share different career paths and perspectives with student interested in sustainable preservation throughout the northeast.
Recent Outreach Initiatives
LGBT Historic Sites Walk Tour of Greenwich Village (September 2023)
APTNE sponsored a student-only walking tour, led by experts at the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, that highlighted historic places that help to contextualize the landmark 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn. The tour started at Christopher Park, across from Stonewall, where long-standing oppressive practices led to the game-changing uprising, and ended at Julius’, site of the historic 1966 “Sip-In."
Science Club for Girls’ “Dream Home” Project (2023)
APTNE is a proud sponsor of the 2023 “Dream Home” Project, where over 400 students received architectural model building kits and became architects and engineers as they learned principles of design, materials science, accessibility, and sustainability to design and build their own "dream homes." Some favorite projects included constructing paper bridges to hold pennies, building model wheelchairs, drawing intricate 2D floor plans, and, of course, building a 3D “dream home” model, complete with stained glass windows, furniture, and many more complex (and sometimes imaginative) features! Learn more about the program here: Peek into Programs: Loads of Fun with "Dream Home" Curriculum (scienceclubforgirls.org) APTNE’s collaboration with SCFG originated in 2022, when several APTNE members volunteered to participate in a week-long virtual program about how the build environment can be designed and reimagined to reflect our community values. We are happy to continue this partnership in 2023!
Children’s Preservation Book Donation (December 2022-present)
In an ongoing effort to expose a broader range of young readers to the field of preservation, APTNE donated sets of children’s books to several public school libraries in the Greater Boston area. A summary of how each book in the set demonstrates a foundational preservation topic/concept is provided to the school libraries along with the donation, and can be found here: Preservation Book List
Current recipients of APTNE’s Children’s
Preservation Book Donation include:
- Phineas Bates Elementary School (Boston, MA)
- Charles Sumner Elementary School (Boston, MA)
- Boston Renaissance Public Charter Elementary School (Boston, MA)
- Potter Road Elementary School (Framingham, MA)
- Mary E. Stapleton Elementary School (Framingham, MA)
APTNE plans to continue updating the preservation book list and donating similar book sets to public elementary schools throughout New England in 2023. Let us know if you have K-5 preservation book suggestions or would like to nominate a local elementary school to receive a free preservation book set!
Worcester Girls Inc. Dream Home Project (July 2022)
APT Northeast is proud to be the Girls Inc. 2022 Community Partner of the Year and to have partnered with Girls Inc. Eureka JV program again this year to discuss the impact of the built environment through a hands-on project that encourages young ladies to be strong, smart and bold!
This project allows middle school students to take on the role of owner, architect, engineer, preservationist, and #contractor as they turn their visions into physical models using anything in their kits! Thank you to professional volunteers Jean Carroon, Lama Bitar, Meika Hayles, Kate Carpenter Bernier, Blair Stratman, and Kasey Mearls for making this year’s project a huge success!
Virtual Career Panel with ACE Mentoring of New York (April 2022)
On April 25th at 4pm APTNE board members Helena Currie, James Norberg, Brigitte Cook AIA, LEED AP, and Corey Spitzer led a presentation and discussing what the field is and how to enter it. The presentation explored how the built environment communicates and supports our collective community values, and introduced students to the range of careers involved in sustainable preservation projects.
Interested in Becoming Involved?
Reach out to APTNE if you are interested in becoming an APTNE Student Mentor and Volunteer, or if you have ideas for future outreach initiatives!
Future Outreach Project Ideas
APTNE is currently looking for K-5 grade level books that help expose children to concepts of sustainably preserving and appreciating the built world around them. Our goal is to identify a small preservation book collection that can be donated to local schools annually. Please submit any children’s book ideas to APTNE by emailing admin@aptne.org.
