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The Architecture Foundation of Oregon is sending out a call for volunteers interested in working with the 2016 session of the Architects in Schools program

The AFO program matches professionals in the building industry with teachers to help students in the third through fifth grades learn about the built environment. Although most of the volunteers involved with the program are architects, engineers, landscape architects and contractors also are invited to become involved in the program.

Volunteers are asked to contribute an hour or two of their time each week, for about six weeks, said Kim Ruthardt Knowles, associate director of the Architects in Schools program.

Teachers who participate in the program are eligible to receive graduate credit through Portland State University. Design professionals may qualify for professional credit and development hours. Students involved in architecture programs may be eligible for practicum or independent study credits.

Applicants will be notified about participation in October. Orientation sessions will be held from October through January. Program sessions with students in classrooms will begin in January and run through March or April.

Jane Jarrett, executive director of the AFO, said her organization hopes this year’s program will repeat last year’s success. For the 2015 session, the number of teachers involved increased by 44 percent while about 100 building industry professionals participated.

鈥淚t’s really taken off in recent years, and last year we went from serving 93 classrooms to 130,鈥� Jarrett said. 鈥淎rchitects are really busy, but everyone who does it seems to really enjoy it.鈥�

The 40-year-old program can have a significant, positive impact on the students it serves by helping them begin to view and experience their surroundings in a new light

鈥淭hey all have a sense of environment, but don’t necessarily have an understanding of what we do with structures placed in the environment, which is a huge impact,鈥� Jarrett said. 鈥淭hey learn how buildings are built, why they face this way or that, and why you may not want to have a fire department next to a hospital.鈥�

The curriculum for the Architects in Schools program has been developed and revised over many years, Jarrett said, and adhere to Common Core and other education standards.

The deadline for building industry professionals to apply to the program is Sept. 28.; applications from teachers are due Oct. 2.

Application forms are available on the AFO website at https://af-oregon.org/programs/architects-in-schools.