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Students Explore Career Opportunities at Amusement Park

Students Explore Career Opportunities at Amusement Park
DENMARK – Bright and early in May, high school students from the Denmark Technical College (DTC) Project Lead the Way (PLTW) advanced manufacturing and dual enrollment welding students climbed on a bus and headed to Carowinds, an amusement park in Charlotte, N.C.  Every year Carowinds hosts Education Day for students to receive firsthand lessons in topics such as Newton’s laws of motion, courtesy of the Fury 325 roller coaster and other rides. Roller coasters serve as the classroom as students barrel down the track at 95 mph, screaming at the top of their lungs! No possibility of dozing off here as the laws of physics are brought to life!
The students were excited to get out and enjoy the day, applying their classroom knowledge to the park.  After visiting booths and speaking to the participants, students were amazed at the diversity of how many advanced manufacturing jobs were involved in maintaining the park. Interim DTC President Christopher Hall is a staunch supporter of PLTW and dual enrollment. “Anytime you can give students a fun hands-on approach to learning you will open minds. Advanced manufacturing is a growing field where you learn about how things are made and how to keep them running. There are many well-paying and exciting careers available and this is a really fun way to expose our students to the field.”
Stephen Mason, AVP for Economic and Workforce Development is one of the driving forces behind the field of study scheduling. “Every year we try to take the students to this event as well as others. Our students have visited Boeing, BMW, Swiss Krono, International Paper, Patriot’s Point, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River (a 2.7 mile walk on the suspension bridge) and even had a thrilling speedboat ride on the ocean! We try to give students more than just a classroom to learn in, we like to make it interesting.” The classroom work is pretty interesting also. The PLTW students build robots, drones, and concentrate on projects that enforce engineering principals.
The students had a great time and the most asked question was “are we coming back again next year?” Another commented “I never thought about the fact that it takes all these different types of careers to run Carowinds, it’s amazing,” when he realized all the different trades that Carowinds employed to develop the park. While more experiential learning activities are being planned, it may be very difficult to top this one.
Denmark Technical College is proud to be a participant in Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a nonprofit organization that provides a learning experience for K-12 students. Our students come from local area high schools in our service area and the PLTW classes make a positive impact on student motivation in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
 Denmark Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award Associate Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates. Denmark Technical College does not discriminate in any respect against a student, or applicant for admission as a student, based on race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, or disability. For more information on PLTW classes please contact Stephen Mason at 803.793.5155.
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Chaperones Zelda Douglas, Officer Samuel Holmes and Joe Bush joined in the fun!
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Students posing for a group picture at Carowinds Amusement Park. 
 

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