Reflecting upon her activities during the recently passed Architecture Week in Detroit, AIA President Kimberly Dowdell outlined the need to engage with the key K-12 demographic in order to cultivate and better prepare the next generation of American architects to match the challenges they and the country will face tomorrow.

"If we want to engage the best young talent to help us grow our profession in the future, we must start now. Kindergarten through 12th grade engagement provides a wonderful opportunity to educate and excite students about the amazing field of architecture," Dowdell stated, also relating her experience as a young student in the city public school system.

Outlining her vision for institutional change in a new five-point agenda, Dowdell (also currently a trustee of her alma mater Cornell University) said better youth engagement can be achieved by further connecting the AIA’s K-12 nationwide resources; increasing support for the Architects Foundation’s scholarship programs and engagement with Mollie Elkman's She Built Foundation; supporting architecture student-serving organizations such as AIAS and NOMAS; and making outreach a primary aim of the upcoming AIA24 conference in Washington, D.C.

This year's Architecture Week is said to have reached 100,000 students in 60 different schools. Dowdell adds: "We do not have to limit ourselves to a week every year to inspire the next generation. There are so many great programs and ways to share our pride in the profession of architecture right now. We encourage you to find an organization or program that resonates with you, or to get involved directly by mentoring students at local schools. When it comes to mentorship, every effort counts. No action is too small to make a difference."

To discover many exciting architecture programs for children and high school students across the country, take a look at Archinect's ongoing Summer School series.