High Tech Career Camp Engages 8th Graders

Warren County Career Center hosted 85 entering eighth-grade students from Franklin, Kings, Lebanon, Lebanon Christian, Springboro and Wayne Local school districts June 8-10 for High Tech Career Camp.

The annual camp, organized and administered by WCCC Career Development Coordinator Yvonne Kaszubowski, features two days of career exploration at the center, and one day of higher education exploration at an area college or university. This year, the students learned about Automotive Collision, Aviation, Criminal Justice, Digital Design, Fire Science, Graphic Arts, Heavy Equipment, HVAC Environmental Controls, and Information Technology.

The students toured the facilities and saw several other program labs including Cosmetology, Culinary, Early Childhood Education, Electricity, Landscape, Medical, and Welding. Miami Valley Tech Prep Consortium representatives talked with the students about career opportunities and conducted career exploration activities.

"High Tech Career Camp is such a great opportunity for middle school students, that I have many of them return to help as junior camp counselors," Ms. Kaszubowski said.

Motivational speaker Fran Kick talked to the students about taking personal responsibility and paying attention and participating actively in life. They learned teamwork through an exercise in forming a giant letter "A" in the cafeteria without speaking to each other. The students took a field trip to Wright State University and saw the dorms, cafeteria and student union, classrooms and the tunnel that connects the campus.