Wednesday, April 24, 2013
GateWay Community College is offering a number of summer camp programs again this year and for some students, it’s a jumpstart on a career path, a chance to further their education or to have fun learning something new.
For Jason Goula, his career calling came when he had to replace an alternator in a Hyundai. This was his first attempt at mechanics but it was one that he was willing to take on. By the time the alternator had been replaced, the car was in perfect working order and Jason had found his new career path.
“I started to work on my stepdads car and fell in love with this career path,” says Jason a senior at Desert Mountain High School.
Last year when it was time to choose a summer camp, his father, John Goula wanted to find a place that would not just provide fun activities for his son Jason, he wanted a place where Jason could explore and discover his passion in cars, as well as further his education.
“At the time, it sounded like it was a good entry to auto mechanics, and I had heard it was a good program,” John says. “When I spoke with Tom Goetz and Linda Jensen about this program, it just seemed like a good fit.”
For the past six years, GateWay Community College has been offering summer programs under the guidance of Coordinator of Dual Enrollment, Linda Jensen. The summer programs are designed for kids and teens ages 5 to19 and offer a variety of options.
For Jason and his father, Automotive Academy was the right option. This camp, which is part of DISCOVER Summer, provided Jason with an opportunity to explore his desired career path and earn three college credits upon completion of the course. For Jason, who was considering a career in automotive or one in the air conditioning industry, this was a perfect opportunity.
“We have had quite a few students who have gone through the summer camp experience and have said ‘that’s for me’ and they end up coming back to GateWay or another Maricopa college,” says Jensen. “Then there are other students that have found that a field they perceived to be interesting, is not something they would want to pursue as a career, and that is just as important.”
Career exploration camps, for ages 13-15, include non-credit options such as science camp, where students do biology and chemistry experiments even doing an EKG, as well as Build a Business Camp where young entrepreneurs learn to develop, market and manage a company.
For those seeking a for-credit option such as Jason, DISCOVER Summer offers Automotive Academy (3 college credits), Future Builders Academy (2 college credits) and a Healthcare Academy (3 college credits). All of these are hands-on learning opportunities, which engage teens.
“Jason was eager to participate every day,” says John when reflecting on his son’s participation in the camp. “There was a manual at the class and he was really into reading the manual much more than anything else I have seen.”
The manual was the “Safety and Tools” book that is presented to all students in this course. An avid reader, Jason read the book in its entirety and still refers back to it every now and then.
As for the cost to attend, summer camps begin at $15 per student (non-credit academies). Credit academies have tuition to cover, however, there is tuition assistance for those that have a financial need. This is possible thanks to the support from Junior Achievement, Arizona Builders Alliance and The Legacy Foundation.
“It is a great way for your child to get used to a college campus, have a feeling of what it is like to be a college student,” says Linda. “They get to interact with college faculty at the same time they explore career options. We want them to learn and have fun at the same time.”
The camp also has been successful in helping an average of 15% of students come back as full time GateWay Community College students.
As for Jason, he is ready to come back to GateWay as a student and pursue a degree.
“I want to be a master mechanic,” he says. “It feels very good to come back as a student. I am excited more than nervous.”
Other camps include Camp Gecko, which is for kids ages 5-12 and is offered through GateWay’s Childrens Learning Center. This camp offers educational activities, arts and crafts, science experiments and field trips.
For more information on these summer camps, please visit www.gatewaycc.edu/discover