Awards / Scholarships / Grants

Len Mackler Award

Alaska Chapter Design Awards Program

Each year, the Alaska Chapter invites Alaska School Districts and design firms to showcase their educational projects at the annual Alaska conference in Anchorage, in December. This is the 19th year of the annual Len Mackler Award, which was established in remembrance of our past Chapter president. The presentation of this award is an important feature of the annual Alaska Chapter Conference. All entries will be judged for excellence in design and functional planning directed toward meeting the needs of the educational program. Awards of Distinction will be based on the criteria listed below and will be presented to entrants whose projects are selected by the awards jury. The Len Mackler Award, commissioned as a unique piece of art, is annually presented to the recipient of the award for display at their office for the forthcoming year. The award will be presented to the entity whose project is selected as representative of the highest level of excellence of all entries.

Submittal Information

Entries may be submitted by registered architects, individual firms, school districts, organizations or educational planners whose primary focus is on planning, designing, constructing and/or equipping the educational environment.
Entries may be submitted for completed projects only, and may include new construction, renovation, and renovation/addition projects.
Entries should give primary consideration to the design solution presented to meet the requirements of the educational program.
Any project that has been completed in the last five years can be submitted. Entries that have appeared or will appear in other exhibits are welcome.
Membership in the Association is not required.

Cost

$100.00 for A4LE Members
$150.00 for Non-Members

Click here to view this year's award criteria and submission instructions.

Len Mackler Award is closed

Criteria

The jury will give prime consideration to the design solutions of the stated educational program requirements. The designs should be uniquely adapted to the educational program and should clearly reflect the challenges presented and how the design team met those challenges. The award submission includes both Display Panels and a Project Narrative. Both are considered in the award selection process and are to include the following areas:

Community Engagement. Describe how the planning and design process connects learning to the community at large and how it fosters community use and partnerships. Consider facility characteristics and design elements that fit within the context of the community.
Planning Process. Describe project parameters and how the team facilitated discussion and arrived at design solutions that met the educational specification.
Learning Environment. Describe the learning program and how the design supports the educational outcomes.
Physical Environment. Describe the relationship between the physical environment and the user (students/teachers/community members).
Innovation. Describe any solutions to the above categories that are unique and progresses the educational design process in the State of Alaska.

Transformations Grant

The Alaska Chapter is pleased to accept submissions of applications for grant funding for design and construction projects that transform Alaskan educational facilities and promote Alaska student involvement through hands-on learning in school planning, design and construction processes. The total grant amount will not exceed $4,000 and may, at the Evaluation Committee's discretion, be awarded to a single recipient or multiple recipients.

Application and submission details

Applications must be received no later than 5:00 pm on April 16, 2019 to be considered.

Timeline
April 16, 2019	Deadline for submission of Applications
April 17-24, 2019	A4LE Evaluation Committee reviews applications; announces grant recipient(s)
April 25, 2019 to November 1, 2019	Project Implementation (specific project timeline shall be proposed by applicant and may extended beyond June 3 if agreed to by both parties)
December 5, 2019	A4LE State Chapter Conference, project report and/or presentation by Grant Recipient

Alaska Chapter Scholarships

Pacific Northwest Region Conference Scholarship

Application for Scholarship for Complimentary Pacific Northwest Region Conference Attendance

For many years, the Alaska Chapter has offered scholarships to attend the annual Pacific Northwest Region conference. The goal is to introduce new ideas about effective, contemporary school planning and design to Alaskans who are shaping our educational facilities. The regional conference provides an exciting forum for broadening perspectives across borders while deepening the shared vales of people who diligently work to create great places to learn. If you need financial assistance to attend our regional conference, please consider applying for the scholarship.

The Alaska Chapter is offering a scholarship up to $1,500 to attend the Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on May 29-31, 2019. This year’s conference theme is “The SKY is the Limit, Growing Healthy Learning Environments.”

Download the application

Deadline: Monday, April 22, 2019

LearningSCAPES Conference

The Association's Annual Conference & Exposition, “LearningSCAPES” will be held in Chicago, IL on November 1-4, 2018. The conference theme, "(re)imagine," and is the event of the year for those who plan, design, equip, furnish, and maintain places where students learn. The Alaska Chapter is offering a complimentary conference registration and travel expenses (not to exceed a total of $2,500) to a candidate working in the profession of school facilities planning and design in the state of Alaska, thereby expanding the mission of the Association by making this important conference available to persons who might otherwise not be able to attend.

Click here to download the Application

LearningSCAPES Conference Scholarship is closed

Alaska Chapter Conference

The annual conference will be held in Anchorage on December 10-11, 2018. The Alaska Chapter is offering a complimentary conference registration and travel expenses to a candidate working in the profession of school facilities planning and design in the state of Alaska. Our aim is to expand the mission of the Association by making this important conference available to persons who might otherwise not be able to attend.

Click here to download the Application.

Alaska Chapter Conference Scholarship is closed