SPRINGFIELD YOUTH ASSEMBLING THEIR FUTURES

August 17, 2009

[Springfield, MA] Youth involved in the YSET, Youth Social and Educational Training Program, directed by Paula Moore, completed their summer learning experience at Worthington Pond Farm, in Somers, CT by holding a race with solar cars they manufactured during their Junior Achievement, “Assembling Your Future” program. The program was sponsored by a grant from the Lego Children’s Fund.

Rebecca MacGregor, Program Manager for JA of Western Massachusetts met with the campers for several weeks. Campers completed the JA Our Nation program, which introduces the concept of globalization of business as it relates to production materials and the need for students to be entrepreneurial in their thinking to meet the requirements of high-growth, high-demand careers worldwide. As part of the “Assembling Your Future” project the students learned about the skills: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, needed in today’s manufacturing businesses. To take advantage of the beautiful camp setting, the campers also learned about green technology and green careers available in Western Massachusetts. To cap off their program, teams of campers worked together to assemble solar powered race cars, which they raced on Tuesday, August 18^th.

The goals of the program were to engage campers in activities that demonstrated the diverse, high skill careers that exist in the manufacturing industry and provide participants with the opportunity to develop and demonstrate personal skills in communication, teamwork and problem solving and to introduce them to manufacturing careers, including green careers, available in the local area.