MAY 28, 2026 – While most high school seniors have wrapped up final exams and focused on graduation, a select group of Winchester and Frederick County public schools’ students had one last stop to make before wrapping up their semester, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District in Winchester, Virginia.
Two seniors and one junior were part of the district’s highly selective high school intern program, which accepts 3 to 5 students each semester who are mentored by engineers and architects while completing a capstone project in building design.
Over the course of a semester, students spend several hours each week learning how to work in a professional setting, develop communication and public presentation skills, and use engineering and architectural software to design a full facility that must comply with local building codes.
Ivan Andrews, a senior from James Wood High School, Elizabeth Loring, a junior at John Handley High School and Savannah Wallace, a senior from Millbrook high school, took on the roles of civil engineer, architect and mechanical engineer respectively, while they worked collaboratively on their project to design and local nature center.
Ted Upson, the district’s director of engineering, provided opening remarks saying that the program not only benefits the students but his team as well.
“The work that we do on these programs helps reinvigorate us as engineers,” said Upson.
For their part, the students said that in addition to the practical skills they learned, the program taught them something about themselves.
“I had been trying to decide if I wanted to major in engineering or computer science,” said Andrews. “Unfortunately (for USACE), this helped me decide that computer science was what I really want to pursue, but I learned so much from this program.”
The other two students also gained a better picture of what they wanted to do in their future.
“I knew I wanted to be an engineer, but I had never thought about hydrology as a potential path. Talking to engineers here, it made me realize that’s what I want to study,” said Wallace.
Loring similarly said her experience made her want to continue to work towards becoming an architect.
One of the representatives from area schools stated she was impressed with the entire program.
“It was great seeing the students present such an articulate, professional program. From start to finish it was rewarding to see not just what they learned about engineering but themselves,” stated Shelly Andrews, the principal of James Wood High School.
To conclude the students’ presentation, COL Christopher Klein, the district’s commander, noted the importance of developing future leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and applauded the student’s hard work.
“We need more engineers, and this is the way we develop them. There’s a lot that can be done with AI now. Using your computer is great, but putting pen to paper and doing the calculations needed is how this material sticks in the mind,” said Klein. “I say this every semester and I’ve meant it every time; I would hire any one of these students.”
Story by Joseph Macri
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District