Boyd County Career Technical Camp Set to Ignite Passion in Students
Gwen Akers
The Ashland Beacon
Whether you have an interest in auto tech or business, or you have always wanted to know how to bake a cake as good as your grandma’s, the Career Tech Summer Camp hosted by Boyd County Career Technical Center for incoming 6th-8th graders has got you covered.
“We want to provide opportunities for our younger students not only to learn skills early, but to see what we have available to them when they get to the high school, so we’re offering this camp. Each of our Pathways is going to have some sort of lesson for the students [and] some sort of product for them to take home with them when they're finished–where they can just learn some basic life skills while they're here,” detailed Shelly Lemaster, the Career Counselor at Boyd County.
During the camp, students will have the chance to participate in two of the offered classes, one during an a.m. session and another in the afternoon. Some of the classes offered include: agriculture, auto tech, family consumer science, health science, information technology, business, carpentry, welding, and culinary arts.
“We just want to reach more students. [Gain] their interest in technical education while they're still young [in order] to let them know that this is available,” commented Courtney Bartley, the director of Boyd County’s Career Technical Center.
The camp focuses on bringing to children education of hands-on skills and life-skills that many have never been exposed to before. The courses offered are simply a sampling of classes already offered by the Career Technical Center and are meant to help kickstart interest and passion in students who attend.
“Each one is just kind of a quick sampling of what we already offer. Hopefully, to just build their interest and even learn some life skills while they're here. You see on Facebook all the time, people post, ‘kids need to be learning how to change a tire’ and that's what we want to do is teach life skills and give just a hint of what they'll get when they're older and can take these classes,” explained Bartley.
Bartley explained that the camp is sponsored by William Boblett, the superintendent of Boyd County Schools, who is extremely passionate about showcasing the opportunities for students within technical education. The purpose of this camp is to show kids life skills and future career paths that they may not know about.
“I wish this had been available when my kids were school-age; I would have liked for them to have the opportunity. We need to do as much as we can to show kids what options they have–and parents. A four-year college degree is not the only pathway to success,” commented Lemaster.
Space is limited, so those interested are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
“We want more kids to realize that they can do career tech ed, go to college, and that there are so many jobs available after high school within the technical education world,” expressed Bartley.
To register your child you should fill out the form at: https://forms.gle/WDsdxZbmTnCKcwoR9, or contact Courtney Bartley at
