In the heart of Scranton, young minds are being shaped in unexpected ways, as a career-focused camp offers students the chance to explore various professions while engaging in creative activities like cupcake decorating.
As part of the Scranton School District’s Career Quest Summer Camp, students like Kiara Llangari are encouraged to think about their futures. “It’s been nice exploring things I’d like to do. I’ve been finding out some things I’d like to join, like the army,” shared the 13-year-old, who is entering eighth grade at Northeast Intermediate School. “I want to design things someday.”
The camp, which quickly filled its registration, offers 90 students from fifth to eighth grade exposure to various career paths through hands-on activities. This initiative is supported by a grant from the Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board, ensuring no cost for meals and transportation to Scranton High School.
“I’m hoping that this is something that we can grow and do again next year,” said Katona Woodbridge, the district’s STEMM program supervisor. “The kids seem to be fully immersed, and I mean it’s amazing.”
Learning about careers
The week’s agenda kicked off with lessons on civil service, including a demonstration from the Scranton Fire Department on the mechanics of levers and pulleys. Students also witnessed a police dog in action and were intrigued by postal service operations, having never mailed a letter themselves.
Throughout the week, students delve into education, food service, health care, engineering, and manufacturing sectors, learning about the diverse roles within each. “I’ll hear ‘I want to be a nurse or a doctor.’ I never hear ‘surgical technician, radiologist.’ There’s a lot of other careers in healthcare,” Woodbridge explained. “Today in education, they learned about speech pathologists, school counselors, not just your teacher.”
Cupcakes and possibilities
Wearing her chef jacket and hat, Sara Grande of Lackawanna College introduced students to the food service industry while guiding them through a creative cupcake decorating session. “There are so many jobs in this industry, and if you look around in Northeastern Pennsylvania, we need good bakeries. We need good chefs,” she emphasized. “Now in a post-COVID world, it’s a sustainable job. They’re looking for educated chefs.”
Keegan Tigue and his friends, who are still deciding their future paths, took a break from decorating to reflect on everything they had learned in just two days at camp. “It can set you up for your future,” Keegan noted.
Grande awarded whisks to students who displayed exceptional cupcake designs, including Kiara. The session ended on a sweet note as students enjoyed their edible creations.
