ATLANTA, GA, Jan 18, 2024 – Applied Software, Graitec Group, a leading systems integrator in the AEC, construction, and manufacturing industries, announced three student winners of its inaugural “Keeping AEC Green” scholarship award essay contest, which aims to encourage high school students to explore careers in sustainable construction. The contest emphasized developing research skills to understand a problem and why it is important to think creatively about a solution and consider the roadblocks to implementing an idea.
Scholarship award winner Olivia Schaffer & Matt Monohan
More than 200 students from around the nation participated, and most addressed the environmental impact of construction and building material production. However, several students brought engaging thinking to a wide variety of other issues, including the impacts of manufacturing fast-fashion, reducing food waste, construction’s many impacts on mental health, and a congressional impasse to advance nuclear waste disposal.
“We had modest expectations for our scholarship’s first year but were blown away by both the number of entries and the quality of the thinking,” said Scott McMaster, executive vice president of Applied Software, Graitec Group. As the built industry attempts to fill more than half a million open positions in the workforce, Applied Software is actively engaging with talented young adults to illuminate opportunities and the global impact they could have. “Our industry faces many challenges ahead, but these students are clear, encouraging examples of what’s possible,” McMaster added. “Picking three winners among all of the quality responses was incredibly difficult.”
Judges from Applied Software, Graitec Group awarded Olivia Schaffer, a senior at Central York High School (York, PA), first place and $1,000 for an essay discussing the benefits and challenges of deploying solar panels across public parking lots. The school will receive a $500 donation to its technology innovation or similar program from Applied Software, Graitec Group.
During the award presentation, Schaffer said, “I am so excited to be awarded first place in the ‘Keeping AEC Green’ Scholarship. I devised my idea for solar-powered parking lots in my junior year American Politics class. I have always had a great interest and passion for decreasing societies’ roles in global warming, so I came up with a solution.” Schaffer’s idea utilizes land already affected by infrastructure to produce clean energy and leave more land untouched for wildlife. “I want to thank my teacher, Mr. Matt Monahan, for assisting me and supporting me upon submission to this scholarship,” she said.
Monahan explained, “Olivia’s insight and creativity are impressive. It is inspiring to see young people articulate hopeful solutions to issues about which they are passionate, and Olivia has done that. The Central York community is proud of our “Keeping AEC Green” Scholarship winner!”
The second-place winner, Humza Ahmed from Harmony School of Innovation (Dallas, TX), will receive $300. The third-place winner, Christopher Botteri from Walpole High School (Walpole, MA), will receive $250.
Based on the success of the program’s first year, Applied Software, Graitec Group expects to continue the contest in 2024. Future details will be provided at https://asti.com/high-school-sustainability-essay-contest/.
About Applied Software, GRAITEC Group
Applied Software, now part of the worldwide Graitec Group, is a leading provider of a broad range of world-class BIM services and solutions dedicated to empowering construction and manufacturing professionals to digitize and industrialize their processes for a sustainable tomorrow. With a strong history of partnership and innovation and as a trusted Autodesk Platinum Partner for over 30 years, Applied Software, Graitec Group helps clients achieve a competitive advantage.
For more information, visit www.asti.com.