MTC to offer health careers camp for high school students – One Saturday per month, October – April

(Bradenton, FL—September 22, 2016)   Manatee Technical College will offer a Saturday camp for high school students interested in exploring careers in healthcare.  MTC was awarded a grant from the Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center to offer the camp, making it free for students to attend.

The health careers school-year camp will be held at the MTC East Campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., one Saturday per month beginning October 8, 2016, and ending April 8, 2017.  Students must be a Manatee County high school student to attend the camp.  The camp is limited to 15 students.

The camp will offer fun, interactive and hands-on healthcare career exploration activities, and include career games and a field trip to the Remote Area Medical event on November 12.  Students will have the opportunity to explore careers in dental assisting, optometric assisting, pharmacy tech, massage therapy, medical assisting, and nursing.

In addition, GSAHEC will provide presentations about AHEC, as well as special sessions on health careers, financial aid, and tobacco prevention, and MTC’s Community Training Center for the American Heart Association will provide training in Heartsaver CPR & AED for adults, children and infants.

The objectives of the camp will be to encourage the high schoolers to explore career possibilities available in the health professions, equip them with hands-on experiences, tools, information and resources needed to pursue a health career, and inspire them to work in medically underserved areas.  Students will also learn about nutrition and exercise.  Classes will be taught by certified instructors.

Students will be provided a nutritious lunch and healthy snacks each day.  They will also be provided the educational materials and supplies they need for all the hands-on career activities.

The co-coordinators of the camp are MTC instructors Brenda Ware and David Harris.  Ms. Ware has a Master’s degree from the University of South Florida; she holds National Board Certification in Dental Assisting and is a certified Florida Dental Radiographer.  Mr. Harris has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of South Florida; he is a PTCB Certified Technician and a Florida Registered Technician.  Both Ms. Ware and Mr. Harris are actively involved as advisors for the career and technical student organization, HOSA Future Health Professionals.

Parents interested in enrolling their child should call or send an email to Mr. Harris at 941.752.8100 x 2040 or harrisd@manateeschools.net.