Incoming fifth- and sixth-grade students from Oswego County schools were given the opportunity to spend some of their summer participating in hands-on activities and collaborating with industry experts to explore career fields through a CiTi summer camp hosted by Oswego County Community Schools at CiTi.

During the week-long “Unearth Your Future Career Exploration Camp” held at CiTi BOCES’ main campus in Mexico, students completed a career inventory to help them identify strengths and interests. They also participated in industry rotations and worked collaboratively to create a final project showcasing what they had learned to families and community partners. 

Through industry-led experiences and visits to career and technical education programs offered at CiTi BOCES, students learned about career options including healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, skilled trades, agriculture, public safety, education, finance and energy. Students collaborated with many industry professionals such as ConnextCare Health Services, Constellation Energy, King + King Architects, local public safety personnel and more.

The week concluded with a student showcase and community partner fair, giving students the opportunity to share their learning and projects with families and connect directly with Oswego County industry and community partners. Students were able to display their hard work and show off their newfound knowledge and skills. This camp was free to all students and provided meals and transportation throughout the week.

A student from the Phoenix Central School District reflected on his time at the camp and said, “I felt excited to be at this camp. I am different now after I went to the camp because I’m more confident, I am better at teamwork and I am better at solving problems. I would tell another kid to go to this camp so they can see what they can do when they are older."

Savannah Larkin, CTE Specialist for CiTi BOCES, coordinated the event and noted, “The camp helped students recognize connections between their own interests and future career possibilities, while building important skills such as teamwork, communication, creativity and problem-solving. This camp would not have been possible without the support of our industry partners.”