PORT HURON – St. Clair County Community College recently welcomed to campus nearly 1,800 eighth graders from across the county thanks to an annual collaboration with the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) aimed at exposing young students to college.
Eighth graders from Algonquin, Capac, St. Clair, Marine City, Marysville, Memphis, Fort Gratiot, Holland Woods, Central, Yale and Croswell-Lexington middle schools visited SC4’s campus on May 30, May 31, June 4 and June 5.
While on campus, students learned about the arts and health science careers, explored machining and mechatronics labs, and toured college facilities such as the library, Fieldhouse and the Hands-on Science Center.
“We know that a college education remains worth the investment, resulting in higher wages, a wider range of job opportunities and increased job satisfaction for graduates,” SC4 President Dr. Deborah Snyder. “As this region’s go-to community college, we have an opportunity and responsibility to provide early college exposure to young students and their parents. We are grateful to RESA and the many teachers and chaperones from across the county who help make this initiative possible.”
“Working with the county’s seven public K-12 school districts and Cros-Lex from Sanilac County, RESA is committed to ensuring graduating seniors are prepared, passionate about a career area, and have a plan for life after high school,” said RESA Superintendent Dr. Kevin Miller. “Our county schools partner with SC4 in a number of ways. Getting eighth graders to start thinking about their futures through visits like this is an important early step for them.”
“We learned a lot about what careers we might want to do in the future,” said Croswell-Lexington eighth grader Olivia Brunk. “If you weren’t really sure, it taught you about what you could possibly do.”
The event is sponsored by RESA’s Blue Water College Access Network.