07/11/2025
Long post but so proud!!!
SRVRTC Summer Camp: A Week of Discovery, Skills, and Smiles! By; Michelle Herrington Director at SRVRTC
Claremont, NH – July 11, 2025 – The Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center (SRVRTC) just wrapped up an incredible week of summer camp, leaving 43 eager young minds, aged 10-14, inspired and equipped with new skills! Our campus was buzzing with energy, laughter, and the unmistakable buzz of accomplishment as students dove into hands-on learning, making new friends, and discovering exciting pathways for their future.
This year's camp was a resounding success, demonstrating the power of experiential learning and the vibrant community we foster at SRVRTC.
Camp By The Numbers:
Total Campers: 43
Age Breakdown:
10-year-olds: 6
11-year-olds: 13
12-year-olds: 12
13-year-olds: 9
14-year-olds: 3
Program Popularity:
Culinary: A full house with 25 out of 25 spots filled! Our budding chefs certainly cooked up a storm.
Safe Sitter: 12 out of 16 spots taken, indicating strong interest in vital life and safety skills for the 1st year this program was offered.
Building Construction: 6 out of 16 spots, offering a focused, hands-on introduction to the trades.
Hands-On Learning Highlights:
Our campers dove deep into their chosen programs, gaining practical skills and creating impressive projects:
Building Construction: Young builders designed and crafted a variety of useful items, including toolboxes, shoe racks, flower planters, and outdoor yard games. Some even tackled the ambitious project of building their own Adirondack chairs! This class offered a fantastic introduction to the trades, emphasizing both skill and creativity.
Culinary: The kitchen was alive with activity as campers prepared a delicious array of dishes. They mastered the art of homemade pizza, making their own dough from scratch, crafted savory meatballs, baked delightful cookies, and perfected creamy mac and cheese, along with many other culinary delights.
Safe Sitter: Beyond learning essential childcare techniques, these campers became certified in Safe Sitter, gaining critical life skills. They created their own business cards, learned vital CPR techniques, understood how to use EpiPens, received first aid training, and covered important aspects of hiking and water safety. They even put their new knowledge to the test with a hike up Arrowhead and a refreshing swim at the community center.
What Our Campers Loved:
The feedback from our student surveys painted a clear picture of a truly engaging and memorable week:
"Everything!" – A common refrain, speaking volumes about the overall positive experience.
"Meeting new people and making friends" – Highlighting the strong sense of community and social engagement.
"That we got to do a bunch of different cooking" – A testament to the diverse and practical skills gained in Culinary.
"Develop a real-world skill" – Our campers recognized the immediate value of their learning.
"I really love the lessons and the CPR lesson because I just like that." – Proof of the impact of critical life-saving skills.
"I liked when we would take notes so in the future I could use them when I have someone to babysit." – Showing foresight and practical application of knowledge.
The inclusion of swimming and hiking up Arrowhead added fun, active dimensions to the week, demonstrating our commitment to a holistic camp experience.
"There was always a friendly greeting when I walked through the door." – A wonderful compliment to our dedicated staff and welcoming environment.
Room for Growth (and more magic next year!):
Our campers also shared thoughtful suggestions:
Many simply said "Nothing," which is fantastic!
Some culinary enthusiasts desired "some harder stuff to cook," indicating a readiness for more advanced challenges.
Logistical suggestions included "Too early" for morning starts, and a desire for a more structured "schedule...written on the board and more activities would be planned out. Camp would be more than the mornings and only one week."
Specific program feedback included "Going outside too hot (safe sitter class)" and "Give more time for the Epipens," providing valuable insights for curriculum refinement.
Looking Ahead: High School & Beyond!
Perhaps the most exciting outcome from the camp surveys was the overwhelming interest in continuing their journey with SRVRTC:
34 students said YES they would take a class at SRVRTC when they are in high school!
6 students were a "Maybe or I don't know what they offer," giving us a clear call to action for program awareness.
Only 3 students said no, a small number compared to the enthusiasm for future involvement.
As one camper perfectly put it, "I want to come back next year!" and "A great experience." We believe we've truly sparked a passion for hands-on learning and career exploration. The SRVRTC Summer Camp wasn't just a week of fun; it was a powerful introduction to the opportunities that Career and Technical Education offers, and a glimpse into the bright future awaiting these talented young adults.
Overwhelming Parent Praise and Future Enthusiasm!
The feedback from parents was beyond positive, truly beyond rewarding, confirming the immense value of the SRVRTC Summer Camp. Parents reported their children came home every day raving about the camp, eager to share their experiences and newly acquired skills.
They consistently highlighted several key aspects:
"The cost was great," making this enriching experience accessible to more families.
It was recognized as a "different style camp than others around," standing out for its hands-on, skill-focused approach.
Parents universally described it as a "fantastic program and camp."
They particularly loved seeing their children "trying new things in the kitchen" and embracing practical skills.
When asked about future enrollment, the response was resounding: not one parent said no to their child taking a class at SRVRTC in high school. They were beyond excited for their child to continue their learning journey here!
The highlight for many parents was the Friday showcase, where they got to see firsthand what their children had been working on all week. Parents were genuinely blown away that their children had completed a different project each day in their respective classes. This tangible evidence of learning and accomplishment truly resonated.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Amazing Supporters!
This incredible week wouldn't have been possible without the generous support of our community partners and dedicated staff:
A huge thank you to Kiwanis of Claremont NH for their generous donation, which allowed us to purchase fantastic camp shirts for all campers – a wonderful memento of their week with us!
Our deep gratitude goes to the Claremont Soup Kitchen, Inc for not only providing delicious, nourishing meals each day of camp, but for delivering them with a constant smile and positive attitude. Your support fueled our campers for success!
Thank you to the Claremont community Center for the warm welcome and excellent facilities when our campers visited for their swimming sessions.
A special shout-out to Jessica Howe for all the crucial behind-the-scenes paperwork and for tirelessly getting every camper signed up. Your organizational skills were vital to making this camp run smoothly!
And a massive thank you to the dedicated SRVRTC staff who came in over their summer break to teach these young adults new skills and get them excited about what SRVRTC has to offer. Teaching outside your normal age group is a unique skill that is truly hard to do, and our SRVRTC staff absolutely rocked it!
Special thanks to Alyssa Brenner (Safe Sitter Teacher), Michael Burnett (Building Construction Teacher), Sarah Kainu (Culinary Arts Teacher), Beth Anne Dube (Culinary Arts Teacher Assistant), Emma Kainu (Teacher Assistant and former student), and Alex Wiley (Building Construction Student Teacher, who is also signed up for Building Construction II next year!). Your passion and dedication are truly inspiring.
Finally, to all the parents and guardians, thank you for your unwavering support of CTE and the SRVRTC. Your belief in hands-on learning makes all the difference.
