Eupora High School student Brady Tabb was among 18 members of the first of four Camp AMP sessions this summer at East Mississippi Community College’s Golden Triangle campus in Mayhew.
Camp AMP introduces middle and high school students to manufacturing and engineering methods.
On June 3, Greg Stewart, a Lowndes County representative on the EMCC board of trustees who works for Aurora Flight Sciences, helped the campers construct model rockets they later launched in a vacant field adjacent to the college.
“I have been building model rockets since I was in fifth grade and I have always liked helping people figure out how to do these type of things,” Stewart said.
Students enrolled in Camp AMP perform activities led by instructors in various programs, such as Automotive Technology, Diesel Mechanics, Information Systems Technology and Welding Technology.
In the Automotive Technology program, the campers learned to remove brake pads on an automobile and replace them.
The campers are also treated to tours of area manufacturing camps. This year’s Camp AMP sessions include tours of Aurora Flight Sciences, Clark Beverage Group and PACCAR Engine Co.
The whole point of Camp AMP is to expose children to manufacturing at an early age, EMCC Workforce and Community Services Information Specialist Tenise Smith said.
“They may already have a career in mind but after learning more about the programs they may say, ‘Hey, I didn’t even know about this and it is something I can consider as a possible career,’” Smith said.
Camp AMP includes games designed to serve as team building exercises, with area businesses such as Graham Roofing and McCrary-West Construction participating. A mini-local area network party includes gaming, drone operation, and virtual and augmented reality systems. The camp wraps up with an awards presentation.
Each Camp AMP session runs Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes a light breakfast, a snack and lunch. At the end of the week, the campers are given a T-shirt.
