Youth thrive at ECU summer camps

Through summer camps, master classes, festivals and STEM immersion opportunities, ECU gives young students new experiences that only a large, public research university can provide.

Elementary and middle school students cut herbs during ECU’s Kids Culinary Camp (Contributed photo)

In June, Jadyn White sat in a classroom with other high school students working to create a mini lesson. A recent graduate of West Lincoln High School in Lincoln County, White has attended three years of the Pirate Institute for Regional Aspiring Teachers and Educators (PIRATE) and will be a freshman at ECU this fall. She and more than 100 high school students from 35 counties in North Carolina participated in the PIRATE program designed to give aspiring educators a firsthand look at life as an educator and college student.

“My absolute favorite part is building relationships with both the staff and students at ECU,” she said. “After attending three times, I feel that they have fully prepared me for my next steps as a future educator in a college setting.”

For students across the region, especially those in rural and underserved areas, summer experiences are the unique experiences needed to get one step closer to their dreams. ECU’s location in eastern North Carolina makes those experiences accessible to thousands of young learners. Visiting campus, learning from faculty, meeting college students helping in the programs and staying in residence halls transforms the idea of college into something real and achievable.

The experiences at summer programs have created a pipeline of students into many programs at ECU.

“I also hope to see the PIRATE program continue serving as a strong pipeline into ECU’s College of Education, inspiring more students each ear to pursue careers in teaching and to see themselves as future educators,” said Calli Jon Massengill ’23, PIRATE program coordinator and ECU special education alumna.

The performing and visual arts summer experiences are a big draw. Camps for high school students interested in band, orchestra, drama, and art and design have proven to be a fun way for students to learn new techniques and a pipeline for students.

Jacob Crocker, a rising senior at Havelock High School, played trombone for his fourth year at the School of Music’s band camp. He plans to attend ECU as a music education major, and his sister currently is a Pirate. He said ECU gives him the opportunity to continue practicing his instrument during the summer months and with new groups of band students.

“It’s the chance to play with a lot of different people you don’t know,” he said, noting he favors full band rehearsals during camp week. “You learn to play with a new ensemble every year.”

Drama and theatre camps provide a creative outlet for children and teens in the greater Pitt County area. Kelly Burgweger’s 10-year-old daughter has attended ECU’s summer drama camp for two years.

“My daughter, Piper, has attended the past two summers and looks so forward to this camp, not only for improving skills but the friendships she makes with her cast mates and crew.  This type of camp offered right in town at ECU is a great bonus,” said Burgweger.

By connecting with students early, ECU is helping them discover their strengths and helping build a better prepared student population that translates to a stronger future workforce in eastern North Carolina.

Finding a path in health care

ECU’s camps and professional experiences allow students to test-drive their dreams through hands-on games and real-world challenges that help them decide if their passion can become a career.

Just a short drive away from main campus on ECU’s Health Sciences Campus, undergraduate, post-graduate and nontraditional students interested in dentistry spent two weeks in June at the School of Dental Medicine. The Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists summer program immerses them into the dental school experience including simulation labs and classroom exercises. The program specifically targets students interested in working in underserved communities.

Allie Popp, a Randolph County native and undergraduate at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill majoring in biology and psychology, said she decided to attend Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists to explore her career options. After the simulation exercise, she said dentistry felt like a perfect fit for her.

Nurse consultant and lab coordinator, Page Mintz, assists students at ECU’s Health Sciences Camp in July. (Photo by Ben Abel)

“This experience has been great so far; I’ve learned a lot, and the simulation we did really solidified that I wanted to do this,” Popp said of dental school. “I had never been to ECU, and I really wanted to branch out and see what it was about. This may be my No. 1 pick!”

In addition to career exploration, summer camps on the Health Sciences Campus brought together people in our region who shared similar interests or had time to focus on life skills.

Elementary students visited campus to learn how to prepare nutritious meals in the Kids Culinary Camp hosted by ECU’s Farm2Clinic program. The students learned how to make dishes like falafel and discovered healthier ways to make simple meals and how to make better food choices. Farm2Clinic is a program within the Department of Nutrition Science that connects nutritious food and education to communities in rural areas.

In early June, Dr. Patrick Briley and students from ECU’s Department of Communication Sciences Disorders hosted a Positive Responses to Stuttering intensive one-week camp for children through adults. Allison Miller, a speech language pathology student, worked with participants throughout the week.

“The goal of the program is to bring people who stutter together to build community and focus on naturalistic interventions that encourage fluency and control in everyday situations,” said Miller.

From art to dentistry, summer programs at ECU invest in young students across eastern North Carolina and reflect the university’s mission of student success, public service and regional transformation. These immersive opportunities build confidence, strengthen communities and prepare students for college and careers.