Marshall County Schools Hosts First-Ever CTE Summer Camp
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As summer vacation begins in Marshall County Schools, at least 30 students want to spend the day learning to weld.
Welding instruction is the most popular program as the school district hosts its first-ever Career and Technical Education summer camp for middle school students.
Sessions began Thursday and conclude today at John Marshall High School.
Participation was capped at 180 students and 30 of them are in the welding program, according to Melanie Knutsen, career development counselor for Marshall County Schools.
Students attending the camp had 12 programs from which they could receive career instruction. In addition to welding, among these were agriculture, automotive technology, broadcasting, business, culinary arts, drafting, engineering, firefighter/EMT, woodworking, information technology and therapeutic services.
Students attend classes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
Registration began April 21, and filled up within five days, according to Knutsen.
"We had a waiting list," Knutsen said.
She said she and new CTE Director Robert Wilson observed a similar summer CTE camp in Pittsburgh in 2019 and thought the idea was a good one for Marshall County Schools.
They presented the plan to retiring director Scott Varner, who was on board with the idea, Knutsen said.
The school district also approached the Regional Economic Development Partnership program in Wheeling, and RED helped to fund the summer camp.
"Last year we had everything planned getting ready for our kickoff, and that's when the pandemic closed the schools," she said. "That's when we put our camp on hold.
"But we knew we were still going to have it this year, so we just kept everything in place but postponed it for a year."
In the engineering class, math teacher Gavin Hartle was overseeing students crafting devices to protect eggs that would be dropped from high locations.
"There are just no live tests in the classroom," he said.
Members of the Glen Dale Fire Department were present and brought gear for students to try on and wear. Paramedic Allicia Wade, meanwhile, instructed them in how to test blood pressure and other vital signs.
Students in the broadcasting class prepared for a news broadcast. Some sat at the anchor desk prepared to go on air, while others worked the technology in the control booth.