"When they announced that we got third place, I felt good," said Emilio Villatoro, 12, a sixth grader. "When they started to announce them, my heart was leaping fast."

Anthony Barcelo, 11, in fifth grade, and Adreanna Tapia, 12, in sixth grade, were also members of the team which had presented their design on April 30.

"It is pretty amazing given that this was our first attempt, and they were up against mostly 7th and 8th graders, some of whom have competed for several years," said the Rev. Susan Anderson-Smith, co-founder and chaplain of Imago Dei.

The students imagined their eco-friendly dream school to be built on an actual empty lot at Sixth Street and Stone Avenue, near their current school. They used Google Earth images, site plans obtained from the city, and measurements gathered from visits to the lot.

The plan takes into account ways that the school would insulate the sound of passing trains and keep a view of the Catalina Mountains visible from the north side. The students produced a detailed scale model, perspective drawings, a power point presentation, and architectural boards of their sustainable building design.

The structure features rammed earth walls to use the natural elements of the desert. It also incorporates solar panels, a gray-water irrigation system, and water harvesting barrels to conserve resources.

"We want to make our world a cleaner and better place for our future," said Tapia.

For that reason the students' design also includes pollinator gardens to attract bees and hummingbirds as well as a large community garden for the school to grow food for their lunches and for neighbors to plant their own flowers and vegetables.

"That way we'd get to know our neighbors," said Barcelo.

Commenting on the development of the project, both Tapia and Barcelo said they most enjoyed the math involved.

Villatoro said his favorite part of the project was making the model.

The fifth and sixth graders had recently won both the state and regional competitions for their original design and presentation in the national contest, sponsored by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) Foundation and Charitable Trust together with 35 other organizations and government agencies.

The all expenses paid trip to School Building Week featured a number of firsts for the students, including breakfast with their congress members and a cross country flight.

"Our students showed extraordinary presence during their presentations," said Anderson-Smith. "I'm proud of how much they've grown. This is what Imago Dei is all about -- offering students the chance and tools to realize dreams. The judges were impressed with their poise and passion, and with the mission of our school."

None of the middle schoolers had any experience or knowledge of architecture before the project. Kim Fernandez, a principal of the local architecture firm ABA, had encouraged Imago Dei students to enter the competition. Fernandez and other members from ABA served as mentors for the students.

Another mentor, Imago Dei art teacher Linda Cato, began working with the students in the fall to develop the creativity and skills they used to conceptualize and design their proposed school.

Now in its second school year, Imago Dei Middle School is a tuition-free, independent Episcopal school for students who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. Imago Dei provides an extended, 10-hour school day, an 11-month school year, small class sizes and individualized instruction. Imago Dei also provides students with access to health and social services. It is a member of both the Nativity Miguel Network and the National Association of Episcopal Schools.