Bevill State Hosts Robotics Camp as Part of Career Pathways Academy
July 05, 2016
Bevill State Community College’s Sumiton Campus was transformed into a “battleground for bots” the week of July 5 as the College hosted a Robotics Camp as part of its Career Pathways Academy.
Students from Walker, Winston and Fayette Counties who are participating in the Career Pathways Academy Robotics Camp spent the week learning how to build and program robots. Then, on July 9, a robotics competition was held. It was a chance for camp participants to challenge each other in an exciting way that showed off what they have learned by competing against other students using the robots they built and programmed.
The Bevill State Career Pathways Academy was announced earlier this year. It allows currently enrolled high school sophomores in Walker, Winston, Fayette, and north Tuscaloosa Counties to encounter new career pathways through experiences in career fairs, exploration camps, internships, and industry relevant training.
In addition to the robotics competition on July 9, a special ceremony was also held as part of the day’s activities. Immediately following the Robotics Competition, participants and their families attended a scholarship signing ceremony where each student signed a Career Pathways Academy Scholarship charter to officially recognize the scholarship offered by Bevill State Community College for the Academy and the acceptance of the scholarship by the student.
Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed attended the ceremony and congratulated the students for their involvement. Senator Reed was instrumental in securing funding to start the Career Pathways Academy at Bevill State.
“I had a fabulous time attending BSCC's robotics camp - what an inspiring group of students! Expanding job opportunities for young people through technical training is a passion of mine. I had the idea for some sort of high-skilled technical training program for local students, and pitched it to BSCC’s administrators. They have done a phenomenal job turning the idea into a reality. I worked hard to have funds included in this year’s state budget for the Career Pathways Academy. I am excited to see the positive results for our area students going forward from this innovative program,” said Senator Reed.
Dr. Larry Ferguson, president of Bevill State also attended the event and praised the students for their work and commitment to the Camp and the Career Pathways Academy. “Your involvement in this Robotics Camp should prove to be a great piece of the overall experience your participation in the Career Pathways Academy will have. I am excited, and looking forward to seeing the results of your hard work and what your commitment to this program will bring,” said Ferguson.
To learn more information about the BSCC Career Pathways Academy, call 205.397-0511, ext. 5710.