Summer camp opens up options for young students

(Bradenton, FL—June 7, 2019) About 45 middle school and high school students spent June 3-6 at Manatee Technical College exploring careers at MTC’s Amazing Days Summer Camp.  The young students had the opportunity to explore baking and pastry arts, business technology programs, carpentry, digital design, web development, and welding.

“I was glad to be here,” said 14-year-old Karmani Gregory.  “It’s pretty hard to get experience from other places, and I met a lot of new people.”  Gregory will be a sophomore at Braden River High School in the fall.  He said he always wanted to be a professional athlete, and he wanted to do something to help people as a backup, “something like therapist or chef, but now I see carpentry as an option.”

Many of the youth in attendance were there with support from Educational Consultants Consortium, Inc. at the Anna E. Gayle Resource Center in Palmetto.  ECCI provides tutoring, counseling, and help so that youth stay in school.

MTC offers over 50 career certificate programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand careers.   The programs are open to adults and dual-enrolled high school students who are 16 or older.   This was the second year for the Amazing Days summer camp.