On February 1, 2019, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) recognized BLGY Architecture with the Employers for Education Excellence Gold Award. Tom Maynard, SBOE Member District 10 presented the award to Benny Hawkins, BLGY President and CEO. BLGY was recognized for its service to schools and teachers in central Texas. BLGY employees attend parent-teacher conferences, mentor students, and volunteer in the schools. As Mr. Hawkins noted in his acceptance remarks, “It is the ethical thing to do to give…back to the community that enables you to make a living.”

One example of the firm’s support is its student – mentor partnership with Westwood High School in the Round Rock Independent School District. The firm hosts a Soft Skills for College and Career Readiness workshop that teaches students about critical thinking and collaboration, listening, punctuality and respect.  

In the Austin Independent School District, the firm, one of its Vice Presidents Sita Lakshminarayan, and industry partners are launching a pilot program at Lanier High School.  The program, LEED Prep: Green Building Lessons for a Sustainable Future, will introduce students to green building principles and requirements of the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program.

BLGY also organizes externships to provide teachers with hands-on experience in architecture and engineering. Teachers can incorporate what they learn into classroom Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. 

The Employers for Education Excellence Award was created by the Texas Legislature in 2007 to recognize Texas employers that support employees in participating and volunteering in Texas’ public schools.