While most students are getting to wind down for the summer months, community colleges are gearing up with a whole new set of learning opportunities for college students and community residents. From camps for kids to summer school for struggling college students, these campuses continue to bustle with activity all summer long. Check out how some community colleges across the country are planning to spend their summer “vacation” this year.
This video offers some suggestions for summer programs.
Summer School Comes Back to California Schools
It wasn’t that long ago that community colleges in California were forced to cut summer school options due to dismal bottom lines. The good news is that summer school is back in action for California students this year, according to The Business Journal. Thanks to additional funding from Prop. 30, schools across the state will be offering a handful of courses to students who want to continue their studies during the summer months.
College of the Sequoias will be offering around 40 classes this summer, including many basic courses students are required to take for degree completion programs. While the number may not be close to the dozens of courses available prior to the budget cuts, it will ease the strain on many students who have had difficulty getting into classes required for graduation. Because of the high demand for summer classes, waitlist and priority registration has already been established.
West Hills Community College District will also add more summer class options this year, The Business Journal reports. Online classes will also be available in a select number of subjects. Other community college campuses throughout California will be increasing the number of classes available for the summer semester to give more students opportunities to advance their higher education efforts.
Kids Camps Abound on Community College Campuses
The younger set will also find plenty to do at neighborhood community colleges this summer. According to mLive, Kalamazoo Valley Community College will be offering sports camps for kids of all ages, including baseball, volleyball, girls, and boys basketball, and softball. The camps will be run by members of the Kalamazoo Valley athletic staff.
The Tampa Tribune reports that Florida kids will also find opportunities to enhance their learning through summer camps at the campuses of Riverview Hillsborough Community College. The week-long camps will run throughout the summer and include performance arts like music, singing and acting. Science-minded kids will enjoy the paleontology studies, as well as learning about the mysterious monsters of Florida.
Other subjects covered in the kids’ camps include computers, culinary arts, healthcare, and fashion design, photography, and chess. The school also plans to host a Lego robotics camp and an engineering camp for middle and high school students during the summer. Camp locations will include all four of the school’s campuses, as well as the Corporate Training Center in Tampa.
Never Too Young to Explore Career Options
South Louisiana Community College will be the place for students to go and learn more about their career options this summer. According to the Daily World, the camps will be hosted by the St. Landry Parish School System’s Career and Technical Education Department. Students will spend the week learning about various career options, including manufacturing, health care, construction, transportation, and information technology. Students will begin their days at the community college campus and then travel to different locations to see jobs performed firsthand.
Each time the students stop at a new industry, they will learn about the type of work involved and the training needed to land a good job in the field. Yvonne Normand, the supervisor of instruction for St. Landry Parish, told the Daily World, “This is an opportunity for students to see a number of possible career pathways. This helps these students see the opportunities their education can afford them and allows them to set education goals.”
The students that complete the camp will receive a half credit toward their high school graduation requirements. Students are eligible for the program after they have completed one full year of high school. The program only offers space for 30 students at a time, so students are encouraged to sign up early to ensure a slot in the program.
This video looks at the pros and cons of taking summer classes.
Adult Course Offer Unique Learning Opportunities
Kids aren’t the only ones that can benefit from summer opportunities at community colleges. Many campuses are also providing learning adventures of the adult kind. According to the St. Augustine Record, adults will be able to head to St. Johns River State Community College this summer to indulge their passion for art history. Two non-credit art history courses will be available through the community college this summer, offering Florida residents the chance to explore a wide range of art eras and the social and political effects of art through the ages.
Pennsylvania residents can spend their summer exploring a wide range of options at Northampton Community College, from jewelry making to the basics of coffee. Many classes are taught in single sessions, for a nominal fee. Classes are available at the school’s main campus in Bethlehem, and interested students can register for classes online through the school’s website. Personal enrichment classes are also available online, in six-week sessions.
If you are looking for something new to do this summer, your local community college might be the perfect solution. With plenty of activities and classes for community residents of all ages, these campuses become the place to be for neighbors looking for a way to learn something new on their summer vacation.
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