In Union County Public Schools, summer break transforms into an exciting adventure with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Summer Career Accelerator Camps for middle and high school students. These free dynamic programs seamlessly blend hands-on learning with thrilling activities, offering students an unforgettable experience where they have fun and dive into potential career paths.
Students like Samika Freeman, a rising seventh grader at Cuthbertson Middle, attended the graphic design camp at Cuthbertson High because of her interest in visual and digital art.
"Graphic design is cool, especially when people create company logos. I didn't know how to use Photoshop before coming to the camp. It's useful for when I create digital art," said Samika. " I want to be a doctor, but I'd consider going into graphic design as a side job."
During the camp, students learn graphic design basics using photography and illustrations. They participate in fun, hands-on projects with programs like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. These activities teach technical skills while allowing students to unleash their creativity, producing unique and visually compelling designs.
Elliot Brooks, a rising seventh grader at Sun Valley Middle, was drawn to the camp because of his creative nature. Even though he had no experience with Adobe software, he quickly grasped it. He completed the camp projects but also came up with his unique ideas and brought them to life.
In a car campaign project, the teacher showed the students how to add symbols, photos and text. Elliot took this lesson further by incorporating a McDonald's logo to indicate sponsorship, cleverly applying his new skills to enhance the advertisement. He was picking up technical skills and gaining confidence in thinking in innovative ways.
"Yesterday, I turned myself into a Minecraft character since I like that game. That was a lot of fun," said Elliot. "I've always wanted to be an engineer. I also like to draw. I'm enjoying this camp very much."
Melody Dutton, a CTE career exploration teacher at Marvin Ridge Middle, brings her passion for graphic design to life at the camp. She thrives on the opportunity to teach this exciting field outside the regular school year, infusing the summer camp with the same enthusiasm and creativity she shares with her students throughout the academic year.
"I like exposing students to different software. If exposed to it, they will use it. You can see their excitement as they discover the different tools. Software always has new updates and new things to try, too," said Dutton. "I also show them how to use similar free software they already have or can easily access."
In another part of the building, other middle school students were fully immersed in the world of culinary arts, whipping up delicious creations with enthusiasm and skill.
Italian cuisine was on the menu, with students preparing frittatas, focaccia bread, gnocchi and enjoying refreshing Italian soda. Ayana Johnson, a rising eighth grader at Weddington Middle, was deeply engaged in the culinary camp, scrambling eggs, kneading bread and collaborating with students from various schools.
"The best thing we've made so far is pizza from scratch. It took about an hour and a half. It's something I'd make at home," said Ayana. "Today, the frittata was good. I put bacon, ham and green peppers in mine. It's quick to prepare, easy to make and simple to store."
Carolyn Hoobler from Parkwood High and Stefanie Carnathan from Cuthbertson High teach the culinary camp. As Family and Consumer Science teachers during the school year, they enjoy extending their teaching beyond the classroom. At the camp, they focus on making cooking enjoyable and educational, hoping to inspire students and build a love for the culinary arts. Hoobler and Carnathan agree that learning these skills can lead to exciting career opportunities or enhance students’ home lives, making everyday meals flavorful and nutritious.
Carnathan, now in her eighth year with the camp, still brings the same excitement and passion she had when she started.
"We've done a few different things this year. We have a Mexican cuisine for tomorrow that includes a dulce de leche French toast with a cinnamon cream sauce crushed with gingerbread cookies, homemade cheese enchiladas with homemade sauce and Mexican rice, and ending the day with hot chocolate cookies," said Carnathan. "We also have our French teacher Lisa Helms coming in as a guest speaker and to prepare crepes. There will be a toppings bar for the students to choose toppings and fillings. Our Spanish teacher Becky Jachym will be our speaker for the Mexican cuisine."
Three graduates were helping the teachers, too. They were happy to assist and bring what they learned when they took culinary to the camp.
"I took Foods when I was in high school. I learned skills I still use, so I wanted to help Ms. Hoobler. I'm helping the students by ensuring safety, guiding them with the recipes, and answering any questions they might have," said Hieu Ngyen-Ly, a UCPS graduate.
Some students at the camp had never cooked before, while others like Stephen Ganshert had already cooked up things like redfish at home.
"I'll be going into the ninth grade at Cuthbertson and I would like to take some culinary classes," said Stephen. "I really like to cook."
Praseeda Maganti, a rising eighth grader at Marvin Ridge Middle, loves spending time in the kitchen with her mother, exploring new recipes. At the camp, she was excited to learn new skills and also to meet students from other schools in the district. Although she's familiar with baking bread, she tried her hand at making chocolate chip muffins during the camp. She learned the "muffin method," which involves keeping wet and dry ingredients separate before mixing them. This new technique added an extra layer of fun to her baking experience.
"My favorite thing to make at home is anything with chicken," Praseeda said. "If I had a chance and time in my schedule when I get to high school, I would like to take a culinary course."
Other summer camps included agriculture adventures, apparel and textiles, automotive service, baking and pastry, career exploration, engineering, manufacturing and design, financial literacy, health and science, interior design, marketing, public safety, construction trade, electric vehicle and robotics.
07/25/2024
