SRHS Architecture receives Diamondbacks grant

The Shadow Ridge High School Architecture Program was awarded a $2,500 STEM grant by the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation School Challenge program, funded by Chase Bank.  The charitable grants have helped schools from across the state with innovative programs such as vocational activities for special education students, digital sculpting for animation art classes, community gardens, after school fitness classes, and much more. Through the School Challenge program, the D-backs have provided more than 200 schools with grants for an overall monetary commitment of more than $950,000 since the program launched in 2012.

The grant will be used to purchase TrackerPro software including head movement tracking cameras and headsets that will allow all students, including those with special needs, the ability to design and draw architectural floor plans, foundation plans, exterior elevations, and related drawings with movements of their head and eyes. These special tracking cameras utilize a small metallic dot attached to glasses, a hat, or a person's forehead to move the cursor on the computer monitor to access drawings commands. This technology will now afford students with physical challenges to pursue a career in architectural design drafting.

The Architecture Program at Shadow Ridge High School includes the Drafting and Design Technologies classes, which are designed to prepare students to apply technical skills via computer assisted design and drafting to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional engineering designs. This program is one of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities which allows students to achieve academic excellence through authentic, hands-on, career focused learning.