North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH) announced today at the Wake County Schools Design Blitz that it is accepting applications from public high schools statewide for its 2015-2016 educational initiative, Project BauHow.

NCMH's Project BauHow (Bauhaus + Know-how) supports high school education by providing desktop computer-aided design (CAD) computer systems and software to ninth and tenth graders in drafting classes in rural North Carolina.

Drafting classes are imperative for students who are interested in pursuing careers in architecture (among other professions). Yet, as NCMH Director George Smart explains, “Depending on their locations, up to 60 percent of North Carolina high school students are in families without the means to provide a CAD-level computer at home. For students who are interested in careers in architecture, or any kind of professional design, high school drafting classes simply can't provide enough class time to achieve the proficiency, or portfolios, required for college. This severely limits their career opportunities, especially in rural areas.”

With these donated computer systems, drafting teachers can assign homework and students can practice CAD at home as much as they want.

Click here to view a video about Project BauHow from Douglas Bird High School in Fayetteville, a 2015 Project BauHow school.

Later, with class instruction, students will test their knowledge through an NCMH-sponsored design competition. The winner from each Project BauHow school receives a scholarship to North Carolina State University’s highly regarded summer Design Camp in Raleigh.

Project BauHow schools are selected based on location and need, availability of drafting classes for 9th and 10th grade students, and drafting teacher initiative. The drafting teacher determines which students will receive the CAD systems for home use. Assignments are submitted on USB sticks so students do not need Internet access at home.

The 2015-2016 application forms are available on the NCMH website at www.ncmodernist.org/bauhow. Click on “2016 School Application.” The deadline for applying is May 15, but Smart encourages interested high schools to apply as soon as possible.

For more information on Project BauHow, including past recipients, visit www.ncmodernist.org/bauhow.