Mary Alice Reporting – Some students going into 7th and 8th grade have been learning about manufacturing careers and companies at a local camp.
The Dale Foland Lauren Manufacturing Camp, held at Buckeye Career Center, features three days of students attending various sessions with local manufacturing companies and going to businesses to take a tour.
One attendee, Bryce Cameron, a 7th grader at Tusky Valley, said some individual session projects included spraying a hose from a Gradall truck, building a house, and controlling a robot arm. He also talked about how much he has been learning on safety and interviewing skills.
“I’ve been learning a lot about CPR, what to do when there’s a fire, [and also] good posture, communication, eye contact.”
Camp instructor and Kent State Tuscarawas Engineering Technology Director Paul Dykshoorn said the kids have been inquisitive and operated the small arm robot very well. During his session, they also built an extender gripper, which works like scissors.
“I want everybody that wants to become an engineer to build something because when you build something with your hands you see how it goes together and you learn from that.”
He also pointed out that one thing missing in the engineering and manufacturing fields is women, because there’s still the preconceived idea that factory work is labor intensive and filthy.
The camp featured students from eleven local school districts, one home schooler, and one youth from Texas.
It ends Wednesday afternoon with a graduation ceremony as each participant receives a certificate from Senator Sherrod Brown’s office.
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